punctual

American  

[puhngk-choo-uhl] / ˈpʌŋk tʃu əl /

adjective

1. strictly observant of an appointed or regular time; not late; prompt.

2. made, occurring, etc., at the scheduled or proper time.

   punctual payment.

3. pertaining to or of the nature of a point.

4. punctilious.

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punctual British  

/ ˈpʌŋktjʊəl /

adjective

1. arriving or taking place at an arranged time; prompt

2. (of a person) having the characteristic of always keeping to arranged times, as for appointments, meetings, etc

3. obsolete precise; exact; apposite

4. maths consisting of or confined to a point in space

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Other Word Forms

• nonpunctual adjective
• nonpunctually adverb
• nonpunctualness noun
• punctuality noun
• punctually adverb
• punctualness noun
• unpunctual adjective
• unpunctually adverb
• unpunctualness noun

Etymology

Origin of punctual

1350–1400; Middle English < Medieval Latin pūnctuālis of a point, equivalent to Latin pūnctu ( s ) a point, a pricking ( pung ( ere ) to prick + -tus suffix of v. action) + -ālis -al ¹; pungent

Example Sentences

They say it was tedious work that made them disciplined, punctual and appreciative of the value of a hard-earned dollar.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026

Switzerland is renowned for its extensive and punctual rail network, with frequent services between cities, towns and even villages.

From Barron's • Feb. 16, 2026

The bakery runs on its own kind of liturgy: a punctual 10:30 a.m. batch, and a second that might appear anytime between 4:30 and 6, the sort of unpredictability you start building your afternoon around.

From Salon • Dec. 7, 2025

"You could have a route where the trains are really expensive but very punctual... similarly, if there's another station over here where trains are similarly punctual, but almost half the price," Mark adds.

From BBC • Dec. 21, 2024

The guests were as punctual as one would expect a group of Swanburne graduates to be.

From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• dependable
• expeditious