puna

[ poo-nah ]

noun

1. a high, cold, arid plateau, as in the Peruvian Andes.
2. Pathology. altitude sickness.

puna

/ ˈpuna /

noun

1. a high cold dry plateau, esp in the Andes
2. another name for mountain sickness

Word History and Origins

Origin of puna¹

First recorded in 1605–15; from South American Spanish, from Quechua púna

Word History and Origins

Origin of puna¹

C17: from American Spanish, from Quechuan

Example Sentences

There is a road leading from Puna to Pannwell, a distance of seventy miles, and travellers can post all the way.

From Project Gutenberg

I have already described the effect of the Puna climate on beasts of burthen.

From Project Gutenberg

A remarkable effect of the Puna wind is its power of speedily drying animal bodies, and thereby preventing putridity.

From Project Gutenberg

The Puna de Atacama is a great salt waste of rugged tableland, volcanic, grassless, and inhospitable.

From Project Gutenberg

This was the hut of Guapo's friend, and similar to all others that may be encountered in the wild region of the Puna.

From Project Gutenberg