comma

[ kom-uh ]

noun

1. the sign (,), a mark of punctuation used for indicating a division in a sentence, as in setting off a word, phrase, or clause, especially when such a division is accompanied by a slight pause or is to be noted in order to give order to the sequential elements of the sentence. It is also used to separate items in a list, to mark off thousands in numerals, to separate types or levels of information in bibliographic and other data, and, in many European countries, as a decimal point.
2. Classical Prosody.
   1. a fragment or smaller section of a colon.
   2. the part of dactylic hexameter beginning or ending with the caesura.
   3. the caesura itself.
3. Music. the minute, virtually unheard difference in pitch between two enharmonic tones, as G♯ and A♭.
4. any of several nymphalid butterflies, including the North American Polygonia comma, having a comma-shaped silver mark on the underside of each hindwing.

comma

/ ˈkɒmə /

noun

1. the punctuation mark(,) indicating a slight pause in the spoken sentence and used where there is a listing of items or to separate a nonrestrictive clause or phrase from a main clause
2. music a minute interval
3. short for comma butterfly

comma

1. A punctuation mark (,) used to indicate pauses and to separate elements within a sentence. “The forest abounds with oak, elm, and beech trees”; “The bassoon player was born in Roanoke, Virginia, on December 29, 1957.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of comma¹

First recorded in 1520–30; from Late Latin: “mark of punctuation,” Latin: “division of a phrase,” from Greek kómma “piece cut off” (referring to the phrase so marked), equivalent to kop- (base of kóptein “to cut, gnaw, strike”) + -ma, noun suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of comma¹

C16: from Latin, from Greek komma clause, from koptein to cut

Example Sentences

The lively canvas, hardly an illustration of an event, employs light-reflective silver and golden-brown metallic paints applied in vast fields of paisley-like commas that dematerialize into a spatially ambiguous surface shimmer.

From Los Angeles Times

I’m a comma, and I get to exist.

From Los Angeles Times

Then, it coils itself into a comma, bunching up its lower half.

From New York Times

There’s an unwritten law that literary fiction set in the high plains be sturdy and simple — sentences firm as fence posts, commas hammered in as clean as barn nails.

From Los Angeles Times

“My recollection was that there were certain words that he liked to capitalize. Words like country, and he liked to use exclamation points … It’s my understanding that he liked to use the Oxford comma.”

From Seattle Times

More About Comma

What is a comma?

The comma (,) is a punctuation mark that indicates a pause in a sentence, sets off words, phrases, or clauses, separates items in a list, and performs many other functions.

The comma is one of the most versatile and commonly misused punctuation marks in English. It serves many different functions in English, such as:

• Indicating a pause in speech: I was walking down the street and, um, I was hit with a pie by a clown. 
• Separating items in a list: I put my shirts, pants, and socks into my suitcase.
• Separating adjectives: LaShona has a big, hairy dog. 
• In numbers larger than 999: I bought a computer for $1,300.
• In dates and addresses: I visited Des Moines, Iowa, on October 17, 2005.

There are many more jobs commas do. For more detailed information on how to properly use commas, read our thorough guide on them.

Why is comma important?

The first records of the word comma come from around 1520. It ultimately comes from the Greek kómma, meaning “a piece cut off.”

Were you surprised that the word comma only dates back to around 1520? In fact, commas themselves aren’t that much older and can be traced back to the first printing of books during the mid-1400s. Before this, writers would use dots and dashes to indicate pauses or separations. The early writers, such as those in ancient Rome and Greece, didn’t use any punctuation at all and all of the writing was scrunched together into large blocks of letters.

Did you know … ?

The comma that is used before the final item in a list is called the Oxford comma (sometimes also called the Harvard comma or the serial comma). This particular comma has surprisingly been a source of debate, and some writing styles, such as the Associated Press, don’t require it to be used. However, omitting the Oxford comma can sometimes lead to some pretty silly sentences.

What are real-life examples of comma?

This funny magazine cover shows why it is important to use commas.

<img loading="lazy" src="https://willhillier.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/major-copywriting-fails-1.jpg?w=272&amp;h=300" alt="" width="380" height="418" />

willhillier.com

Because they have so many functions, commas confuse even native English speakers.

The big thing I've learned by proofreading a lot of work written by adults is the majority of y'all never learned how to properly use a comma.

— Mik Drake (@MikDrake) January 8, 2021

I took the Grammar Table to Central Park today, and the first, second, and third visitors all asked about the Oxford comma. There is some serious pent-up pandemic demand for Oxford comma discussions.

— Ellen at the Grammar Table (@GrammarTable) September 14, 2021

 

What other words are related to comma?

• punctuation mark
• Oxford comma
• grammar
• apostrophe
• period
• colon
• semicolon
• quotation mark

Quiz yourself!

True or False?

You can end a sentence with a comma.