* Genuine, authentic, or high quality: This is the most frequent use of "pukka." Example: "That's a pukka vintage car."
* Excellent, first-rate, or top-notch: It can express strong approval. Example: "He's a pukka chef."
* Proper, legitimate, or official: It can be used to describe something that's done correctly or by the book. Example: "He's got a pukka alibi."
Origin and History:
"Pukka" came into English from Hindi during the British Raj in India. It was originally used by British soldiers and officials to describe things made of good quality materials, like "pukka" bricks or "pukka" roads. Over time, its meaning expanded to encompass other aspects of quality and authenticity.
Usage:
While "pukka" is informal, it's widely understood and used in British English. It's less common in American English, but you might still encounter it in certain contexts, especially related to travel or history.