Definitions for semicolon
ˈsɛm ɪˌkoʊ lənsemi·colon

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. semicolonnoun

   a punctuation mark (`;') used to connect independent clauses; indicates a closer relation than does a period

WiktionaryRate this definition:2.3 / 4 votes

1. semicolonnoun

   The punctuation mark ';' .

   A semicolon is followed by an initial lower-case letter (unless for proper nouns).

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Semicolonnoun

   Half a colon; a point made thus [;] to note a greater pause than that of a comma.

   Etymology: semi and ϰῶλον.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Semicolon

   The semicolon or semi-colon ; is a symbol commonly used as orthographic punctuation. In the English language, a semicolon is most commonly used to link (in a single sentence) two independent clauses that are closely related in thought. When a semicolon joins two or more ideas in one sentence, those ideas are then given equal rank. Semicolons can also be used in place of commas to separate the items in a list, particularly when the elements of that list contain commas.The semicolon is one of the least understood of the standard marks, and so it is not as frequently used by many English speakers.In the QWERTY keyboard layout, the semicolon resides in the unshifted homerow beneath the little finger of the right hand and has become widely used in programming languages as a statement separator or terminator.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:4.0 / 3 votes

1. Semicolonnoun

   the punctuation mark [;] indicating a separation between parts or members of a sentence more distinct than that marked by a comma

FreebaseRate this definition:4.3 / 3 votes

1. Semicolon

   The semicolon is a punctuation mark with several uses. The Italian printer Aldus Manutius the Elder established the practice of using the semicolon to separate words of opposed meaning and to indicate interdependent statements. "The first printed semicolon was the work of ... Aldus Manutius" in 1494. Ben Jonson was the first notable English writer to use the semicolon systematically. The modern uses of the semicolon relate either to the listing of items or to the linking of related clauses. In Unicode it is encoded at U+003B ; semicolon. According to Lynne Truss, a British writer on grammar, many non-writers avoid the colon and semicolon for various reasons: "They are old-fashioned", "They are middle-class", "They are optional", "They are mysteriously connected to pausing", "They are dangerously addictive", and "The difference between them is too negligible to be grasped by the brain of man". However, the semi-colon is used frequently in academic writing.

Suggested ResourcesRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. semicolon

   The semicolon symbol -- In this Symbols.com article you will learn about the meaning of the semicolon symbol and its characteristic.

Matched Categories

1. • Punctuation Mark

How to pronounce semicolon?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say semicolon in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of semicolon in Chaldean Numerology is: 2

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of semicolon in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

Examples of semicolon in a Sentence

1. Darren Huston:

   I’m a hands-on operator, and I have a background in software. Right outside my door, they are building the site. There’s not a semicolon on any of our sites that isn’t A/B tested. ~ Darren Huston

2. Wilbur Ross:

   The big topics like that are still a work in progress. And those are very complex issues, particularly rules of origin, so eventually it will come down to every comma, every semicolon, everything before we can figure out if it's something that's workable.

3. President Barack Obama:

   There are going to be many months in which people will be able to look at every comma and period and semicolon in this deal, and I feel very confident that when people evaluate the actual deal that is done, that they will see that, in fact, it is the most progressive trade deal in history.

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