What does "punnet" mean?
A small basket or receptacle for collecting and selling fruit, particularly strawberries.
Punnet
/ˈpʌnɪt/ noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A small basket or receptacle for collecting and selling fruit, particularly strawberries.
- Grammar: punnet is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: basket, container, fruit basket, hamper.
- Useful contrasts: loose bulk, unpacked fruit.
- Usage evidence: This punnet of strawberries isn't too fresh any more.
How to use "punnet"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "punnet" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "punnet" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "punnet" as the right word for your sentence.
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "punnet" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "basket" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
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When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A small basket or receptacle for collecting and selling fruit, particularly strawberries. Commonwealth, Ireland, UK
"Thus, according to the same Year-Book, a sea-kale punnet measures 8 in. in diameter at the top and 7½ in. at the bottom, being 2 in. deep, while a radish punnet is 8 in. in diameter and 1 in. deep, if to hold six “hands,” or 9 in. by 1 in. for twelve “hands.” A mushroom punnet is 7 in. by 1 in., while a salading punnet is 5 in. by 2 in."
- 2 a small light basket used as a measure for fruits wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
loose bulkunpacked fruit
Example
"This punnet of strawberries isn't too fresh any more."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "punnet"?
Common synonyms include: basket, container, fruit basket, hamper, receptacle.
How do you use "punnet" in a sentence?
This punnet of strawberries isn't too fresh any more.
How do you pronounce "punnet"?
Pronounced /ˈpʌnɪt/.
Etymology
Uncertain. First appears in the 1820s. Perhaps a diminutive of pun, a dialect variant of pound, the weight + -et. The suggestion that it is an eponym of Reginald Crundall Punnett (1875–1967), geneticist and grower of strawberries, is not chronologically possible. The suggestion it was an ancestor of his lacks evidence.