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puncture

Syllabification: (punc·ture)

Definition of puncture

a small hole in a tire resulting in an escape of air:she was on her way home when she had a puncture
a small hole in something such as the skin, caused by a sharp object:surgeons operate through small punctures in the skin [as modifier]:a puncture wound

[with object]

1make a puncture in (something):one of the knife blows had punctured a lung
[no object] sustain a puncture:the tire had punctured and it would have to be replaced

2cause a sudden collapse of (mood or feeling):the earlier mood of optimism was punctured

Origin:

late Middle English: from Latin punctura, from punct- 'pricked', from the verb pungere. The verb dates from the late 17th century

Spell puncture with a c in the middle.

Definition of puncture in the British & World English dictionary

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