punctuality
AmericanOther Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of punctuality
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.
Vocabulary lists containing punctuality
1-2-3 Scream!
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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
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
The famed German punctuality and efficiency was there right from the off, as he walked up to the top table in the press conference room at exactly 15:30, as advertised.
From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2025
Concerns over discipline and professionalism led the club to assign private chefs to him, while late nights because of gaming affected his training punctuality, making him the club's most-fined player in recent years.
From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2025
Her hairdresser could count on absolute fidelity and punctuality.
From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
