Definition of punctuation
1 : the act of punctuating : the state of being punctuated
2 : the act or practice of inserting standardized marks or signs in written matter to clarify the meaning and separate structural units; also : a system of punctuation
3 : something that contrasts or accentuates
Read the Latest from M-W
Recent Examples of punctuation from the Web
-
Death was not a punctuation but a hyphen or em dash in the continuum of life.
-
The mention that Tupac’s godmother was Assata Shakur was a valuable punctuation, especially given Assata’s current role in the social consciousness of America and the #HandsOffAssata movement.
-
Created by a Frenchman named Louise Braille in the 1800s, Braille organizes dots in various patterns to form letters, numbers and punctuation marks.
-
Created by a Frenchman named Louise Braille in the 1800s, Braille organizes dots in various patterns to form letters, numbers and punctuation marks.
-
Writers should pre-edit for spelling and punctuation so the workshop can focus on content.
-
It is also designed to remember your individual preferences for things, such as punctuation.
-
Dinner is sort of the punctuation to the end of the day.
-
As far as creating passwords goes: Use a random word (an object near you, for example), scramble the letters and sprinkle in numbers and punctuation marks.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'punctuation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of punctuation
1593
Other Grammar and Linguistics Terms
PUNCTUATION Defined for English Language Learners
punctuation
playDefinition of punctuation for English Language Learners
-
: the marks (such as periods and commas) in a piece of writing that make its meaning clear and that separate it into sentences, clauses, etc.
PUNCTUATION Defined for Kids
punctuation
playDefinition of punctuation for Students
1 : the act of adding punctuation marks to writing
2 : a system of using punctuation marks
Word Root of punctuation
The Latin word pungere, meaning “to prick” or “to pierce,” and its form punctus give us the roots pung and punct. Words from the Latin pungere have something to do with pricking or piercing. To puncture is to pierce with something pointed. A pungent smell is one that is so strong and sharp that it pierces the nose. Someone punctual acts at the exact point when the hands of the clock prick the right moment. Punctuation pierces a string of words to form separate sentences.
Learn More about punctuation
-
See words that rhyme with punctuation Spanish Central: Translation of punctuation Nglish: Translation of punctuation for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of punctuation for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about punctuation
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up punctuation? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!