punctuate

Definition

To add punctuation to.

Etymology

Borrowed from Medieval Latin pūnctuātus, perfect passive participle of pūnctuō (“to mark with points”), from Medieval Latin pūnctus (“a point, dot”), from pungō (“to prick, punch”); see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix). Doublet of punch.

Example Sentences

• "That occurrence of "its" needs to be punctuated as "it's"."
• "My father punctuated his tirade with thumps on the desk."
• "Most soldiers would testify that the everyday experience of war is long stretches of boredom punctuated by sudden, terrifying spells of disorder."

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