punctuality

American  

[puhngk-choo-al-i-tee] / ˌpʌŋk tʃuˈæl ɪ ti /

noun

1. the quality or state of being punctual.

2. strict observance in keeping engagements; promptness.

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Other Word Forms

• unpunctuality noun

Etymology

Origin of punctuality

First recorded in 1610–20; punctual + -ity

Explanation

Punctuality is the state of being prompt. You might come home from a European trip exclaiming over the punctuality of German trains, which are always on time. Punctuality is an important quality when it comes to things like public transportation and job interviews. If you're known for always showing up exactly when you say you will, people will start to depend on your punctuality. The Latin root of punctuality is punctus, a sharp point. This is why people who value punctuality will tell you to meet them at, say, six o'clock sharp, or right on the dot — in other words, at exactly the agreed-upon time.

Example Sentences

But Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder in September pushed back a punctuality target of 70 percent for long-distance trains to 2029 from 2026.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

Almost 40 percent of long-distance services arrived late last year -- not including trains that were cancelled, which are not counted in punctuality statistics.

From Barron's • Feb. 2, 2026

January is usually a good month for punctuality owing to a relative lack of maintenance and building work on the tracks.

From Barron's • Feb. 2, 2026

Flights from Birmingham Airport had the second poorest punctuality record last year, with an average delay of more than 21 minutes.

From BBC • Apr. 20, 2025

This convinced us that something great was to happen, and threw me into an unusual flutter when I repaired to my guardian’s office, a model of punctuality.

From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens