punka

/ ˈpʌŋkə /

noun

1. a fan made of a palm leaf or leaves

Word History and Origins

Origin of punka¹

C17: from Hindi pankhā, from Sanskrit paksaka fan, from paksa wing

Example Sentences

There sat the punka wala nodding, fast asleep, but keeping his arms moving all the time.

From Project Gutenberg

Though lined with velvet, it is always cool—ventilated on a new principle—of which I took merely a hint from the Punka.

From Project Gutenberg

The function of a punka is to cause a current of air to pass the human body so that the animal heat may escape more rapidly.

From Project Gutenberg

There are some very important natural laws which are illustrated in the punka.

From Project Gutenberg

Twenty-four pulls a minute of a length of 36 inches give in practice a speed of 168 linear feet to the punka curtain.

From Project Gutenberg