Definition of "punkie"

punkie¹

/ˈpʌŋki/

noun
plural punkies
1. (chiefly New England) A small two-winged fly or midge of the family Ceratopogonidae, which bites and then sucks the blood of mammals; a biting midge or sandfly.

punkie²

/ˈpʌŋki/

noun
plural punkies
1. (South West England, chiefly Somerset) In full punkie lantern: a lantern similar to a jack-o'-lantern consisting of a gourd such as a pumpkin or a root vegetable such as a mangelwurzel or swede which has been hollowed out, in which a candle has been placed; these are chiefly displayed during Punkie Night in late October.

punkie³

/ˈpʌŋki/

noun
plural punkies
1. (US) Synonym of pumpkinseed (“a North American sunfish, Lepomis gibbosus”).
  Quotations
  But, although anything but a wary fish, the sunfish is not easy to catch because of its small mouth. Unless a small hook is used, meager results are secured in proportion to the antics of the cork or bobber, which in good "punkie" territory is likely to jiggle, stand on end and depart bottomward on short notice.
  1949 October–November, John R. Greeley, “Sunfishes”, in P. W. Fosburgh, editor, New York State Conservationist, volume 4, number 2, Albany, N.Y.: State of New York Conservation Department, page 14, column 2