semicolon

noun

semi·​co·​lon ˈse-mē-ˌkō-lən 

ˈse-ˌmī-,

-mi-

: a punctuation mark; used chiefly in a coordinating function between major sentence elements (such as independent clauses of a compound sentence)

Did you know?

The semicolon was introduced into modern type by an Italian printer around 1566. But since it's actually the same symbol as the ancient Greek question mark, it's older than the colon (:), which first appears around 1450. Don't mix the two up. A colon introduces something: usually a list, sometimes a statement. A semicolon separates two independent but related clauses; it may also replace the comma to separate items in a complicated list.

Check out our guide on how and when to use semicolons.

Examples of semicolon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Gone is Greenwell’s glittering ceremony, the long sentences tinkling with semicolons. —Parul Sehgal, The New Yorker, 9 Sep. 2024

Look for Saturn and the crescent moon to form their version of a semicolon in the southwest evening sky. —David Streit, Washington Post, 16 Nov. 2023

Throughout, Murray employs linguistic choices to distinguish the perspectives, most notably in Imelda’s section, where Murray eschews punctuation: no periods, no commas, no dashes, no semicolons — only the occasional question mark. —Jonathan Russell Clark, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2023

Dear reader: First of all, nice use of a semicolon. —Lucas Daprile, cleveland, 2 Aug. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1644, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

semicolon

noun

semi·​co·​lon ˈsem-i-ˌkō-lən 

: a punctuation mark that can be used to separate parts of a sentence which need clearer separation than would be shown by a comma, to separate main clauses which have no conjunction between, and to separate phrases and clauses containing commas