punctual

[ puhngk-choo-uh l ]

/ 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.

Words nearby punctual

punctatim, punctation, punctiform, punctilio, punctilious, punctual, punctuality, punctuate, punctuated equilibrium, punctuation, punctuation mark

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

punc·tu·al·ly, adverbpunc·tu·al·ness, nounnon·punc·tu·al, adjectivenon·punc·tu·al·ly, adverb

non·punc·tu·al·ness, nounun·punc·tu·al, adjectiveun·punc·tu·al·ly, adverbun·punc·tu·al·ness, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH punctual

punctilious punctual

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for 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|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
The Archdeacon was a little late as, I am afraid, he liked to be when he was sure that others would be punctual.
The Cathedral|Sir Hugh Walpole
It doesn't matter, but if you had been punctual you wouldn't have had a fright.'
In the Year of Jubilee|George Gissing

He is unusually accurate, punctual, lucid; an irrefragable authority on English points.
History of Friedrich II. of Prussia, Vol. XVIII. (of XXI.)|Thomas Carlyle
Punctual to the appointed hour I walked into Harmony place, a quiet unpretentious street, and open the gate of No. 9.
The Catholic World; Vol. IV.; October, 1866, to March, 1867.|E. Rameur
He was punctual, attentive to details and careful to abide by the measures taken by the legislature.
Thomas Jefferson|Gilbert Chinard

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

punctual

adjective

Words related to punctual

Words nearby punctual

Origin of punctual

OTHER WORDS FROM punctual

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH punctual

Example sentences from the Web for punctual

British Dictionary definitions for punctual

adjective

Derived forms of punctual

Word Origin for punctual