v. punc·tu·at·ed, punc·tu·at·ing, punc·tu·ates v.tr. 1. To provide (a text) with punctuation marks. 2. 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). 3. To stress or emphasize. v.intr. To use punctuation. [Medieval Latin pūnctuāre, pūnctuāt-, from Latin pūnctum, point, from neuter past participle of pungere, to prick; see peuk- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] punctu·a′tive adj. punctu·a′tor n. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.