punctual

adjective

punc·​tu·​al ˈpəŋk-chə-wəl 

-chəl

: being on time : prompt

punctuality

ˌpəŋk-chə-ˈwa-lə-tē 

noun

punctually

ˈpəŋk-chə-wə-lē 

-chə-lē

adverb

Did you know?

The original meaning of punctual described a puncture made by a surgeon. The word has meant lots of other things through the centuries, usually involving being precise about small points. And today punctuality is all about time; a punctual train or a punctual payment or a punctual person shows up "on the dot".

Synonyms

• immediate
• prompt
• speedy
• timely

Examples of punctual in a Sentence

the punctual delivery of the daily mail

Recent Examples on the Web

The delivery team was punctual, friendly, set the entire crib up, and even cleared all of the boxes on their way out. —Briana Feigon, Architectural Digest, 28 Feb. 2025

As the oldest of two children, Alexander was time-conscious and punctual. —Faith Karimi, CNN, 23 Feb. 2025

The online meeting company Meeting Canary asked over 1,000 British adults about their attitudes to punctuality and almost half of those aged 16 to 26 said that being between five and 10 minutes late is just as good as being punctual. —Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune Europe, 24 June 2024

Look for punctual freelancers who proactively send portfolios or case studies before meetings. —Expert Panel®, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, having a sharp point, from Medieval Latin punctualis of a point, from Latin punctus pricking, point, from pungere to prick — more at pungent

First Known Use

1669, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

punctual

adjective

punc·​tu·​al ˈpəŋ(k)-chə(-wə)l 

: acting or usually acting at an appointed time or at a regularly scheduled time

the trains were punctual

punctuality

ˌpəŋ(k)-chə-ˈwal-ət-ē 

noun

punctually

ˈpəŋ(k)-chə(-wə)-lē 

adverb