Dictionary

punkah en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈpʌŋkə/
• /ˈpʌŋkɑː/

Etymology

Borrowed from Hindi पंखा (paṅkhā, “fan”), from Sanskrit पक्षक (pakṣaka), from पक्ष (pakṣa, “wing”).

Meanings

1. (Myanmar, South-Asia) A fan, particularly a large fan made of leaf or cloth and hung from the ceiling, (historical) formerly often operated by a servant.
   • Perhaps it was a mistake to invite Mr Stanhope; the day was intolerably hot and humid; all he wanted to do was to lie on his bed with a punkah sighing over him, at least moving the unbreathable air. 1973, Patrick O'Brian, HMS Surprise:
   • A punkah is, by some, used instead of a chattah, (or umbrella); but it is very inferior as a defence against either sun, wind, or rain. 1810, Thomas Williamson, East India Vade-Mecum..., page 313:
   • In the refreshment room a few would-be passengers were cooled by the punkah, worked by a string tied to the big toe of a sleepy Burmese boy. 1943 November and December, G. T. Porter, “The Lines Behind the Lines in Burma”, in Railway Magazine, page 325:
   • Outside the court the sun blazed—within was the wind of great punkahs that made you shiver … 1900, Joseph Conrad, chapter 4, in Lord Jim:

Forms

Deriveds

punkahwallah

Translations (7)

hi पंखा (fan) · fr panka (fan) · ru опаха́ло (fan) · de Pankha (fan) · ru панкха́ (fan) · my ပန်ကာ (fan) · ur پنکھا (fan)