punctual

[puhngk-choo-uh l]

See more synonyms for punctual on Thesaurus.com

adjective

strictly observant of an appointed or regular time; not late; prompt.
made, occurring, etc., at the scheduled or proper time: punctual payment.
pertaining to or of the nature of a point.

punctilious.

Origin of punctual

1350–1400; Middle English < Medieval Latin pūnctuālis of a point, equivalent to Latin pūnctu(s) a point, a pricking (pung(ere) to prick + -tus suffix of v. action) + -ālis -al¹; see pungent

Related formspunc·tu·al·ly, adverbpunc·tu·al·ness, nounnon·punc·tu·al, adjectivenon·punc·tu·al·ly, adverbnon·punc·tu·al·ness, nounun·punc·tu·al, adjectiveun·punc·tu·al·ly, adverbun·punc·tu·al·ness, noun

Can be confusedpunctilious punctual

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for punctual

expeditious, dependable, accurate, careful, conscientious, constant, early, exact, fussy, heedful, meticulous, painstaking, particular, periodic, precise, prompt, punctilious, quick, ready, recurrent

Examples from the Web for punctual

Contemporary Examples of punctual

Deen is not only punctual, but also professionally courteous to his former co-stars.
My Bizarre Night With James Deen, Libertarian Porn Star
Emily Shire
November 12, 2014
On the day of the shoot, the crew and I arrived early—Mrs. Cleaver would have wanted us to be punctual!
Farewell to Mrs. Cleaver
Jeff Bliss
October 17, 2010

Historical Examples of punctual

Thompson came early on the following day, punctual to his appointment.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. 327
Various
She lived by habit, by the punctual fulfillment of her expectation.
Life and Death of Harriett Frean
May Sinclair
You may be punctual in that to half a second on the clock, and yet be Bankrupt.
Life And Adventures Of Martin Chuzzlewit
Charles Dickens
He will find me punctual and vigilant, and anxious to do what is right.
Life And Adventures Of Martin Chuzzlewit
Charles Dickens
To be punctual does not mean to be too early, but to be just early enough.
St. Nicholas Magazine for Boys and Girls, Vol. V, August, 1878, No 10.
Various

British Dictionary definitions for punctual

punctual

adjective

arriving or taking place at an arranged time; prompt
(of a person) having the characteristic of always keeping to arranged times, as for appointments, meetings, etc
obsolete precise; exact; apposite
maths consisting of or confined to a point in space

Derived Formspunctuality, nounpunctually, adverb

Word Origin for punctual

C14: from Medieval Latin punctuālis concerning detail, from Latin punctum point

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for punctual

adj.

c.1400, from Medieval Latin punctualis, from Latin punctus "a pricking" (see point (n.)). Originally "having a sharp point; of the nature of a point;" meaning "prompt" first recorded 1670s, from notion of "insisting on fine points." Related: Punctually.