punctuation

[ puhngk-choo-ey-shuh n ]
/ ˌpʌŋk tʃuˈeɪ ʃən /

noun

the practice or system of using certain conventional marks or characters in writing or printing in order to separate elements and make the meaning clear, as in ending a sentence or separating clauses.
the act of punctuating.
punctuation marks.

Origin of punctuation

1530–40; < Medieval Latin pūnctuātiōn- (stem of pūnctuātiō) a marking, pointing. See punctuate, -ion

OTHER WORDS FROM punctuation

punc·tu·a·tion·al, punc·tu·a·tive, adjective non·punc·tu·a·tion, noun re·punc·tu·a·tion, noun

Words nearby punctuation

punctilious, punctual, punctuality, punctuate, punctuated equilibrium, punctuation, punctuation mark, punctuationalism, punctulate, punctum, punctum cecum

Definition for punctuational (2 of 2)

punctuationalism
[ puhngk-choo-ey-shuh-nl-iz-uh m ]
/ ˌpʌŋk tʃuˈeɪ ʃə nlˌɪz əm /

noun Biology.

punctuated equilibrium.

Origin of punctuationalism

1975–80; punctuational + -ism

OTHER WORDS FROM punctuationalism

punc·tu·a·tion·al, adjective punc·tu·a·tion·al·ist, punc·tu·a·tion·ist, noun

British Dictionary definitions for punctuational

punctuation
/ (ˌpʌŋktjʊˈeɪʃən) /

noun

the use of symbols not belonging to the alphabet of a writing system to indicate aspects of the intonation and meaning not otherwise conveyed in the written language
the symbols used for this purpose
the act or an instance of punctuating