Lewis & Short

†† măpālĭa, ĭum, n. [Punic],

  1. I. huts, cottages of the Africans: mapalia casae Punicae appellantur, Paul. ex Fest. p. 146, 25 Müll.; so ib. p. 147; cf.: aedificia Numidarum agrestium, quae mapalia illi vocant, oblonga, incurvis lateribus tecta, quasi navium carinae sunt, Sall. J. 18, 8: ex oppidis et mapalibus, id. ib. 46, 5: cum mapalibus pecoribusque suis persecuti sunt regem, Liv. 29, 31: et raris habitata mapalia tectis, Verg. G. 3, 340; Sil. 17, 89; Mart. 10, 20, 8.
    In sing., Aus. Per. Odyss. 16.
    Collect. coït e sparso concita mapali Agrestum manus, Val. Fl. 2, 460.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. A house of ill-repute, Petr. S. 58, 13.
    2. B. Useless things, follies, Sen. Apoc. 9, 1.