punctuate

punc·tu·ate

transitive verb

-·at·ed, -·at·ing

to insert a punctuation mark or marks in
to break in on here and there; interrupt: a speech punctuated with applause
to emphasize; accentuate

Origin of punctuate

from Medieval Latin punctuatus, past participle of punctuare from Classical Latin punctus, a point

to use punctuation marks

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MLA Style

"punctuate." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 15 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/punctuate>.

APA Style

punctuate. (n.d.). Retrieved January 15th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/punctuate

punctuate

verb

punc·tu·at·ed, punc·tu·at·ing, punc·tu·ates

verb

transitive

To provide (a text) with punctuation marks.
To occur or interrupt periodically: “lectures punctuated by questions and discussions” ( Gilbert Highet ) “[There is] a great emptiness in America's West punctuated by Air Force bases” ( Alfred Kazin )
To stress or emphasize.

verb

intransitive

To use punctuation.

Origin of punctuate

Medieval Latin pūnctuāre pūnctuāt- from Latin pūnctum point from neuter past participle of pungere to prick ; see peuk- in Indo-European roots.

Related Forms:

punc′tu·a′tive
adjective

punc′tu·a′tor
noun

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Link/Cite

Link to this page

Cite this page

MLA Style

"punctuate." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 15 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/punctuate>.

APA Style

punctuate. (n.d.). Retrieved January 15th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/punctuate

Verb

(third-person singular simple present punctuates, present participle punctuating, simple past and past participle punctuated)

to add punctuation to
That occurrence of "its" needs to be punctuated.
to add or to interrupt at regular intervals
The pristine lawn was punctuated only by the single apple tree in the centre.
to emphasize, to stress

Related terms

punctilious
punctuality

Origin

From Medieval Latin punctuare (“to mark with points"), from Latin punctus, perfect passive participle of pungÅ (“I prick, punch"); see point, and compare punch and punctate.

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.