Added 8 October 2026
punctuation
/ˌpʌŋk.t͡ʃuˈeɪ.ʃən/ noun
Latin root: punctuātiō Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about punctuation at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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A set of symbols and marks which are used to clarify meaning in text by separating strings of words into clauses, phrases and sentences; examples include commas, hyphens, and stops (periods).
Different languages have different rules for punctuation.
- An act of punctuating.
- ↑ Hazrat, Florence (18 August 2026), “On That Disgraceful, Disreputable, (Wonderful) Form of Punctuation: The Parenthesis”, in Literary Hub, retrieved 2 September 2026
Origin
Borrowed from Medieval Latin punctuātiō (“a marking with points, a writing, agreement”), from punctuō (“to mark with points, settle”). Morphologically, punctuate + -ion.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)