punctuation

A2 Topic:Communication

US /ˌpʌŋk.t͡ʃuˈeɪ.ʃən/ See IPA manual

Freq #38716

Meanings

1

noun
The marks used in writing, such as commas, full stops, and question marks, that make the meaning clear.

Different languages have different rules for punctuation.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the marks used in writing,... punctuation mark

Word family

Derived forms interpunctuationmispunctuationnonpunctuationoverpunctuationpunctuationalpunctuationismpunctuationistpunctuationlessrepunctuationunder-punctuationunderpunctuation

Related forms apostrophe brace bracket colon comma dash ellipsis guillemet hyphen interpunctinterrobangperiod

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

punctuation mark
a written symbol that helps organize text and clarify its meaning

Noun + noun

Simplified etymology

Punctuation, recorded from the mid-16th century, ultimately derives from Latin punctum “a small hole made by pricking,” from pungere “to pierce or prick.” Its name refers to the small marks made in written text.

Etymology

Borrowed from Medieval Latin punctuātiō (“a marking with points, a writing, agreement”), from punctuō (“to mark with points, settle”). Morphologically, punctuate + -ion.

punctuātiō la-med

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Communication

External links

# punctuation

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌpʌŋk.t͡ʃuˈeɪ.ʃən/
**Frequency rank:** 38716

## Meanings
1. The marks used in writing, such as commas, full stops, and question marks, that make the meaning clear.

## Examples
- Different languages have different rules for punctuation.

## Derived Forms
- interpunctuation
- mispunctuation
- nonpunctuation
- overpunctuation
- punctuational
- punctuationism
- punctuationist
- punctuationless
- repunctuation
- under-punctuation
- underpunctuation

## Related Forms
- apostrophe
- brace
- bracket
- colon
- comma
- dash
- ellipsis
- guillemet
- hyphen
- interpunct
- interrobang
- period

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: punctuātiō

## Etymology
Borrowed from Medieval Latin punctuātiō (“a marking with points, a writing, agreement”), from punctuō (“to mark with points, settle”). Morphologically, punctuate + -ion.

## AI Etymology
Punctuation was borrowed from Medieval Latin punctuātiō (“a marking with points, a writing, agreement”), from punctuō (“to mark with points, settle”). Morphologically, punctuate + -ion. The historical chain includes punctuātiō (la-med). In present-day English it covers the marks used in writing, such as commas, full stops, and question marks, that make the meaning clear. The wider family includes derived forms such as interpunctuation, mispunctuation, nonpunctuation, overpunctuation, punctuational and related forms such as apostrophe, brace, bracket, colon.

## Topics
- Communication

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