semicolon

American  

[sem-i-koh-luhn] / ˈsɛm ɪˌkoʊ lən /

noun

1. the punctuation mark (;) used to indicate a major division in a sentence where a more distinct separation is felt between clauses or items on a list than is indicated by a comma, as between the two clauses of a compound sentence.

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semicolon British  

/ ˌsɛmɪˈkəʊlən /

noun

1. the punctuation mark ( ; ) used to indicate a pause intermediate in value or length between that of a comma and that of a full stop

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semicolon Cultural  

1. A punctuation mark (;) used to join two independent clauses in a sentence. The semicolon shows that the ideas in the two clauses are related: “Jack really didn't mind being left without a car; he had the house to himself.”

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Etymology

Origin of semicolon

First recorded in 1635–45; semi- + colon ¹

Compare meaning

How does semicolon compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• em dash vs. semicolon
• hyphen vs. semicolon

Explanation

A semicolon is a punctuation mark that shows you there's a pause in a sentence; semicolons separate two complete clauses. Unlike a comma, which also indicates a pause in a sentence, a semicolon is used between related independent clauses. This means wherever there's a semicolon, it can be replaced with a period; however, this results in more abrupt, shorter sentences. You can also usually replace a semicolon with a comma followed by a conjunction like and, for, or but. The first printed semicolon appeared in 1494.

Example Sentences

Sleek and spotlessly white with plants for accents, Semicolon Cafe functions 10/10 as a laboratory for both your feed and feeding.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 14, 2023

Revised with a Semicolon Parents do not expect any financial reward; they care for their children out of love and responsibility.

From Textbooks • Dec. 21, 2021

A mile west sits Semicolon Cafe, which specializes in brioche egg sandwiches souped-up with veggies, meat and seafood, including ham, chicken and smoked salmon.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 6, 2021

Henry James, who would have been my choice for Master of the Semicolon, turns out to have been famous during his lifetime for his use of dashes.

From The New Yorker • Jul. 15, 2019

It has also been called the Semicolon butterfly which is correct enough so far as this most characteristic feature is concerned; but it leads to confusion in connection with the Latin name.

From Butterflies Worth Knowing by Weed, Clarence M.