punctual
adjUK /ˈpʌŋktjʊəl/ · US /ˈpʌŋkt͡ʃuəl/
Etymology Borrowed from Medieval Latin pūnctuālis (“relating to a point”), from Late Latin pūnctus (“point”) + -ālis (adjective suffix).
› Prompt; on time.
1
Of an event, happening at the appointed time.
2
Of a person, acting at the appointed time.
- Luis is never late; he's the most punctual person I know.
3
Mathematics, Sciences Existing as a point or series of points.
4
Human sciences, Linguistics, Sciences Expressing a momentary action that has no duration.
5
Nonstandard Periodic; occasional.
- The management of the above mentioned feed sectors is subject to close co-operation with the Member States through […] punctual expert groups meetings where appropriate.
6
Dated Observing trivial points; punctilious.
- Derived terms
- bipunctual, copunctual, impunctual, nonpunctual, prepunctual, punctualism, punctualist, punctuality, punctualize, punctually, punctualness, unpunctual
- Related terms
- point, pointwise, punctilious, punctuate, punctuation, meticulous