punctuation

[ puhngk-choo-ey-shuh n ]

/ ˌpʌŋk tʃuˈeɪ ʃən /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR punctuation ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the practice or system of using certain conventional marks or characters in writing or printing in order to separate elements and make the meaning clear, as in ending a sentence or separating clauses.

the act of punctuating.

punctuation marks.

Nearby words

Origin of punctuation

1530–40; < Medieval Latin pūnctuātiōn- (stem of pūnctuātiō) a marking, pointing. See punctuate, -ion

Related formspunc·tu·a·tion·al, punc·tu·a·tive, adjectivenon·punc·tu·a·tion, nounre·punc·tu·a·tion, noun

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

Examples from the Web for punctuation

Completed in 1953 and composed with standard line breaks and punctuation, the book was completely ignored upon submission.
The Lost Novel of Nobel-Winner José Saramago|Charles Shafaieh|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
“And to see great fashion,” he added half-heartedly, in monotone and with no punctuation.
Justin Bieber's Abs Cannot Save Him|Tim Teeman|September 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
You might say that this is part of my side of the story… Please excuse my handwriting, punctuation, and spelling.
Life as an Undocumented Immigrant|Jose Antonio Vargas|April 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was more like punctuation, a real life comma that emphasizes the constant pressures of our daily schedule.
Why Men Shouldn’t Wait To Have Kids|Conor P. Williams|March 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The rise to infamy of the “SarcMark”® is unparalleled in the history of punctuation.
The Rise and Fall of the Infamous SarcMark|Keith Houston|September 24, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Inconsistent hyphenation, punctuation, printing and spelling errors have been corrected silently.
A Fair Mystery|Bertha M. Clay
In the use of punctuation marks; first of terminal marks, then of the marks within a sentence.
Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 10|Charles Herbert Sylvester
Obvious errors in spelling and punctuation have been corrected.
Wagner as I Knew Him|Ferdinand Christian Wilhelm Praeger
Punctuation has been standardised, and obvious typographical errors have been repaired.
Curious Facts in the History of Insects; Including Spiders and Scorpions.|Frank Cowan
Spelling, punctuation and inconcistencies in the original book have been retained.
Customs and Fashions in Old New England|Alice Morse Earle

British Dictionary definitions for punctuation

punctuation

/ (ˌpʌŋktjʊˈeɪʃən) /

noun

the use of symbols not belonging to the alphabet of a writing system to indicate aspects of the intonation and meaning not otherwise conveyed in the written language

the symbols used for this purpose

the act or an instance of punctuating

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

Word Origin and History for punctuation

punctuation

1530s, "pointing of the psalms," from Medieval Latin punctuationem (nominative punctuatio) "a marking with points," noun of action from past participle stem of punctuare "to mark with points or dots," from Latin punctus "a prick" (see point (n.)). Meaning "system of inserting pauses in written matter" is recorded from 1660s.