pukkah

A pukkah meal is served on a clean table.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Genuine or authentic: "pukkah" means real, not fake or counterfeit, often used to describe something of high quality or legitimacy.
   • Proper or correct: It can also mean something that is done in a proper, appropriate, or conventional manner.
   • First-class or excellent: In informal British and Indian English, "pukkah" refers to something of the highest standard or quality.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • This is a pukkah silk scarf, not a cheap imitation. (Genuine and authentic.)
  • He gave a pukkah explanation for his absence. (Proper and correct.)
  • The restaurant serves pukkah Indian food. (First-class or excellent.)

Advanced Usage

• "Pukkah sahib": A colonial-era term used to describe a proper, respectable, or authentic English gentleman.

  • He was considered a pukkah sahib by his peers. (He was seen as a genuinely proper English gentleman.)

• "Pukkah" in construction: In Indian English, "pukkah" can describe a building made of durable materials (e.g., brick or stone), as opposed to temporary or flimsy structures.

  • They built a pukkah house with a concrete roof. (A permanent, solidly built house.)

Variants and Related Words

• Pukka (adj): An alternative spelling of "pukkah," with the same meanings.
  • This is a pukka diamond. (A genuine diamond.)

Synonyms

• Genuine: real and authentic.
• Bona fide: in good faith; authentic.
• First-rate: of the highest quality.

Related Idioms

• Pukkah deal: a transaction that is honest and above board.

  • We made a pukkah deal with no hidden terms. (A fair and genuine agreement.)

• Pukkah style: something done in an excellent or proper manner.

  • The wedding was arranged in pukkah style. (The wedding was organized with high quality and correctness.)