punctual

[ puhngk-choo-uh l ]

/ ˈpʌŋk tʃu əl /

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.

Nearby words

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

Related forms

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

Can be confused

punctilious punctual

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples 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

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