# punctuation

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˌpʌŋk.t͡ʃuˈeɪ.ʃən/ · frequency rank #19,949

## Definitions
1. 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).
2. An act of punctuating.

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

## Common misspellings (17)
`pnuctuation`, `ppunctuation`, `pucntuation`, `puncctuation`, `punctaution`, `puncttuation`, `punctuaiton`, `punctuasion`, `punctuatino`, `punctuationn`, `punctuatoin`, `punctuattion`, `punctutaion`, `puncutation`, `punnctuation`, `puntcuation`, `upnctuation`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/punctuation