different between punctilious vs punctuate

English

Etymology

From punctilio (“fine point in exactness of conduct”) +? -ous.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p??k?t?li.?s/

Adjective

punctilious (comparative more punctilious, superlative most punctilious)

1. Strictly attentive to detail; meticulous or fastidious, particularly to codes or conventions.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:meticulous

2. Precise or scrupulous; finicky or nitpicky.

   Synonyms: finicky, nitpicky, precise; see also Thesaurus:meticulous

   • 2009, Ronnie Cann, Ruth Kempson and Eleni Gregoromichelaki, Semantics: an introduction to meaning in language

Derived terms

• punctiliously
• punctiliousness

Related terms

• point
• punctuate
• punctual
• punctuality
• punctuation

Translations

Further reading

• punctilious in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Medieval Latin punctuare (“to mark with points”), from Latin punctus, perfect passive participle of pung? (“I prick, punch”); see point, and compare punch and punctate.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?p??ktju?e?t/
• (General American) IPA^(key): [?p??k?u?e?t]

Verb

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

1. (transitive) To add punctuation to.

2. (transitive) To add or to interrupt at regular intervals.
3. (transitive) To emphasize; to stress.

Related terms

Translations

Further reading

• punctuate in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• punctuate in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Latin

Verb

p?nctu?te

1. second-person plural present active imperative of p?nctu?