/pyooh"nik/ , adj.
1. of or pertaining to the ancient Carthaginians.
2. treacherous; perfidious: originally applied by the Romans to the Carthaginians.
n.
3. the language of ancient Carthage, a form of late Phoenician.
[ Punicus, earlier Poenicus Carthaginian, equiv. to Poen ( us ) a Phoenician, a Carthaginian (akin to Gk Phoînix a Phoenician) + -icus -IC ]