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Glite Dictionary
pungy

pungy

9.9
A boat with two masts that carried oysters and goods in the Chesapeake Bay
  • noun
  • /ˈpʌn.dʒi/
  • Archaic
translation icon : pungy
  • The pungy is a traditional sailing vessel used for oyster dredging in the Chesapeake Bay.

Examples

  • Pungies were first used in the oyster industry in the 1840s.

    Academic text (1996)

  • During the season of 1892-93, some 719 vessels were engaged in dredging oysters; most were schooners and pungies (Stevenson, 1894).

    Academic text (1996)

  • Cheaper to construct and more economical to operate, they eventually replaced the pungies and bugeyes.

    Academic text (1996)

  • In the Chesapeake Bay, fishermen often rely on a pungy to transport their daily catch.

  • For over a century, pungies have been a vital part of the maritime history in the Chesapeake region.

Synonyms

bugeye
vspungy
  • Specialized
9.9

A traditional two-masted sailing boat from Chesapeake Bay that fishermen use to collect oysters

is used for both cargo and dredging, not specialized by hull shape

Surface Forms

pungy singular
pungies plural

Etymology

Pungy names a workboat from the Chesapeake Bay and probably comes from a local word for that kind of boat. A helpful way to remember it is to picture its sharp bow 'pushing' through the water to reach oyster beds, so a pungy is a strong, two-mast boat used for collecting oysters and carrying cargo.