punctuation
[ puhngk-choo-ey-shuhn ]
/ ˌpʌŋk tʃuˈeɪ ʃən /
Save This Word!
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.
Biology. the sudden or accelerated extinction of some species and emergence of others, occurring only in isolated periods, as set forth in the theory of punctuated equilibrium.
QUIZZES
THINK YOU’VE GOT A HANDLE ON THIS US STATE NICKNAME QUIZ?
Did you ever collect all those state quarters? Put them to good use on this quiz about curious state monikers and the facts around them.
Question 1 of 8
Mississippi’s nickname comes from the magnificent trees that grow there. What is it?
Origin of punctuation
OTHER WORDS FROM punctuation
punc·tu·a·tion·al, punc·tu·a·tive, adjectivenon·punc·tu·a·tion, nounre·punc·tu·a·tion, nounWords nearby punctuation
punctilious, punctual, punctuality, punctuate, punctuated equilibrium, punctuation, punctuationalism, punctuation mark, punctulate, punctum, punctum cecum
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for punctuation
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