punctuated
|punc-tu-at-ed|
🇺🇸
/ˈpʌŋktʃuˌeɪtɪd/
🇬🇧
/ˈpʌŋktʃuːeɪtɪd/
(punctuate)
mark or interrupt with points/breaks
Etymology
'punctuate' originates from Latin, specifically the past participle 'punctus' of the verb 'pungere', where 'pungere' meant 'to prick' or 'to pierce'.
'punctuate' passed into Late Latin as 'punctuatus' and Medieval Latin 'punctuare', then into French (e.g. 'ponctuer') and finally into English as 'punctuate' in the early modern period.
Initially, related forms meant 'to prick' or 'to mark with points'; over time this evolved into the modern senses of 'to mark (text) with points (punctuation marks)' and 'to interrupt or emphasize at intervals', giving the current meanings of 'punctuate' and 'punctuated'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
past tense or past participle of 'punctuate' — to insert punctuation marks into (text).
She punctuated the sentence with a comma to clarify the meaning.
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Verb 2
past tense or past participle of 'punctuate' — to interrupt at intervals or to occur at intervals throughout (something), often to emphasize or break up continuity.
The speech was punctuated by loud bursts of applause.
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Adjective 1
marked by interruptions, breaks, or strong, distinct points; characterized by being punctuated.
The novel has a punctuated pace, with sudden shocks between calmer chapters.
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Last updated: 2025/12/16 22:58