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semicolon

[ sem-i-koh-luhn ]
/ ˈsɛm ɪˌkoʊ lən /
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noun

the punctuation mark (;) used to indicate a major division in a sentence where a more distinct separation is felt between clauses or items on a list than is indicated by a comma, as between the two clauses of a compound sentence.

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“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.
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Origin of semicolon

First recorded in 1635–45; semi- + colon1

Words nearby semicolon

semicircular canal, semicircular duct, semicivilized, semiclassical, semi-closed anesthesia, semicolon, semicoma, semiconducting, semiconductor, semiconductor diode, semiconductor laser
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Content related to semicolon

What Is A Semicolon And How To Use It?It's difficult to know whether to use a comma or semicolon; in fact, it’s one of the hottest things grammar nerds argue about. Here's when to use a semicolon.
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Example sentences from the Web for semicolon

British Dictionary definitions for semicolon

semicolon
/ (ˌsɛmɪˈkəʊlən) /

noun

the punctuation mark (;) used to indicate a pause intermediate in value or length between that of a comma and that of a full stop
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

Cultural definitions for semicolon

semicolon

A punctuation mark (;) used to join two independent clauses in a sentence. The semicolon shows that the ideas in the two clauses are related: “Jack really didn't mind being left without a car; he had the house to himself.”

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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