punctuation

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Medieval Latin punctuatio, punctuationem (“a marking with points, a writing, agreement”), from punctuare (“to mark with points, settle”); see punctuate.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /pʌŋk.tʃuˈeɪ.ʃən/
  • Rhymes: -eɪʃən

Noun

punctuation (countable and uncountable, plural punctuations)

  1. A set of symbols and marks which are used to clarify meaning in text by separating strings of words into clauses, phrases and sentences.
  2. An act of punctuating.

Meronyms

  • See also Thesaurus:punctuation mark

Derived terms

Punctuation

Translations

Further reading

  • punctuation in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
  • punctuation in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
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