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punctual

[ puhngk-choo-uhl ]
/ ˈpʌŋk tʃu əl /
SEE 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.

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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

OTHER WORDS FROM punctual

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH punctual

punctilious, punctual

Words nearby punctual

punctatim, punctation, punctiform, punctilio, punctilious, punctual, punctuality, punctuate, punctuated equilibrium, punctuation, punctuationalism
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to punctual

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

Example sentences from the Web for punctual

British Dictionary definitions for punctual

punctual
/ (ˈpʌŋktjʊəl) /

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 forms of punctual

punctuality, 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