- Punic
- "pertaining to Carthage," 1533, from L. Punicus, earlier Poenicus "Carthaginian," originally "Phoenician" (adj.), Carthage having been founded as a Phoenician colony, from Poenus (n.), from Gk. Phoinix "Phoenician" (see Phoenician). Proverbial among the Romans as treacherous and perfidious. Punic Wars were three wars between the Romans and the Carthaginians fought 264-146 B.C.E.
- Hannah
- fem. proper name, from Heb., lit. "graciousness," from stem of hanan "he was gracious, showed favor;" cf. Punic Hannibha'al "Hannibal," lit. "my favor is with Ba'al."
- mat
- O.E. matte, from L.L. matta "mat made of rushes" (4c.), probably from Punic or Phoenician (cf. Heb. mittah "bed, couch"). Meaning "piece of padded flooring used in gymnastics or wrestling" is attested from 1903.
- Fabian
- "socialist," from Fabian Society, founded in Britain 1884, named for Quintus Fabius Maximus (surnamed Cunctator "the Delayer"), the cautious tactician who opposed Hannibal in the Second Punic War. The Fabians sought to draw a distinction between their slow-going tactics and those of anarchists and communists. The Latin gens name is possibly from faba "a bean."
- map
- 1520s, shortening of M.E. mapemounde "map of the world" (late 14c.), from M.L. mappa mundi "map of the world," first element from L. mappa "napkin, cloth" (on which maps were drawn), said by Quintilian to be of Punic origin (cf. Talmudic Heb. mappa, contraction of menafa "a fluttering banner") + L. mundi "of the world," from mundus "universe, world" (see mundane). The verb map is first attested 1580s; to put (something) on the map "bring it to wide attention" is from 1913. Related: mapping.