comma

noun

com·​ma ˈkä-mə 

1

: a punctuation mark, used especially as a mark of separation within the sentence

2

: pause, interval

3

: any of several nymphalid butterflies (genus Polygonia) with a silvery comma-shaped mark on the underside of the hind wings

Examples of comma in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The swim tracks were likely imprinted when the theropods scratched the bottom of the water with their middle toe, resulting in grooves that appear straight or curved, like a comma, the researchers noted. —Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 5 Dec. 2025

Silver streaked the black comma of his fringe. —Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 10 Nov. 2025

Wedge heels with an inverted curve—a more extreme, exaggerated version of the comma heel—have returned in a big way. —María Diez, Glamour, 27 Oct. 2025

These absorbing sentences, whose endless commas are a copy editor’s nightmare, would seem to defy adaptation into film. —Walt Hunter, The Atlantic, 9 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin, from Latin, part of a sentence, from Greek komma segment, clause, from koptein to cut — more at capon

First Known Use

1554, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing comma

• comma fault
• comma splice
• inverted comma

Rhymes for comma

• brahma
• chama
• dama
• drama
• gama
• lama
• llama
• mama
• mamma
• momma
• rama
• sama

Video

The Serial Comma Explained

Why don't they call it the Merriam-Webster comma?

Kids Definition

comma

noun

com·​ma ˈkäm-ə 

: a punctuation mark , used chiefly to show separation of words or word groups within a sentence