Where does “pleased as Punch” come from?

pleased as Punch (English) comes from English Punch, from English puncheon, from Middle English punchoun, from Old French ponchon, from Latin punctiō, from Latin -tiō, from Latin dissertātiō, from Latin dissertus — small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble.

pleased as Punch (English): Pleased with one's actions or achievements

Definitions

  1. Pleased with one's actions or achievements

Ancestry of “pleased as Punch”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishPunchA glove puppet who is the main character used in a Punch and Judy show
2EnglishpuncheonA figured stamp, die, or punch, used by...
3Middle Englishpunchoun
4Old Frenchponchonpuncheon
5Latinpunctiōpuncture, pricking
6Latin-tiōtion, -ation, -ing
7Latindissertātiō(spoken) dissertation, discourse, disquisition
8Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
9Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
10Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
11Latincalceusshoe
12Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
13Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξEvery word from Latin -tiōEvery word from Latin dis-