punic

The word "Punic" originates from the Latin Punicus, an earlier form of Poenicus, meaning "Carthaginian" or "Phoenician." This Latin term derived from the Greek Phoinix, referring to the Phoenician people, the ancestors of the Carthaginians. The modern English term retains the primary historical sense relating to ancient Carthage. Its secondary meaning of "treacherous" or "deceitful" stems from Roman historical propaganda and bias against their formidable rival, Carthage, particularly during the Punic Wars.

Structure: pun (carthaginian) + ic (adjective suffix) pun (from Latin Punicus, Poenicus, meaning Carthaginian, Phoenician) + ic (from Latin -icus, a suffix forming adjectives, meaning "of or pertaining to").