point English · revision 1822

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1200 (Ancrene Riwle)|origins=ine-pro *peuk-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /pɔɪnt/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|point]], [[m|enm|pointe]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD) a merger of two Old French words.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) One is [[bor|fro|point|t=prick, dot, mark; small measure of space or time]], [[der|la|pūnctum|t=small hole made by pricking; spot; moment]], the neuter past participle of [[m|la|pungere|t=to prick, pierce]];^(MWU 2024)^(AHD)^(SOED 2002) the other is [[m|fro|pointe|t=sharp end; vanguard]], from Medieval Latin [[m|la|puncta|t=sharp tip]], the feminine of the same participle.^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002) Latin ''pungere'' comes from a nasalized form of [[ine-pro|*peuk-|t=to prick]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) In mathematics and grammar Latin ''pūnctum'' translates Greek [[m|grc|στιγμή|tr=stigmḗ|t=a prick, point]].^(Klein 1966) The verb is partly from [[m|fro|pointer]] and partly from the English noun.^(SOED 2002)^(Hoad 1986)^(COED 2004) The same Latin verb gave [[pungent]], [[punctuation]], [[punctual]] and [[puncture]].^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ An opportune moment; a state or condition (before 1200, in the ''Ancrene Riwle''), according to Barnhart,^(Barnhart 1988) while Etymonline has “a minute amount, a single item; the sharp end of a sword” from about 1200.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The two French words remain distinct in French but merged in English.^(Etymonline) The “dot” word gave the senses of a unit, a mark and a point in space or time, and the “tip” word those of a sharp end and a promontory.^(NODE 1998)^(Cresswell 2021) Barnhart dates “a subject, a topic” to about 1300 and “a small mark, a dot” to about 1353;^(Barnhart 1995) the OED has a punctuation mark, especially the full stop, from about 1386.^(OED 1989) Etymonline records “an instant” from the late 14th century, “a distinguishing feature” from the late 15th, a promontory from the 1550s, a unit of score in a game from 1746 and a unit of price on a stock exchange by 1814.^(Etymonline) Weekley notes that the sense “distinguishing mark” now survives mainly in ''strong point''.^(Weekley 1921) In Tudor English a ''point'' was also a tagged lace for fastening the hose to the doublet, a frequent subject of jokes in Shakespeare.^(Skeat & Mayhew 1914)^(Collins 2023) The verb meant “to indicate with the finger” from the late 14th century;^(Etymonline) ''point out'' is from the 1570s and ''point up'' “to emphasize” from 1934.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1200 – an opportune moment; a condition (''Ancrene Riwle'').^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1200 – a sharp end of a weapon; a single item.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1300 – a subject, a topic.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * c. 1353 – a small mark, a dot.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * c. 1386 – a punctuation mark.^(OED 1989)

+ * late 14th century – an instant; verb, to point with the finger.^(Etymonline)

+ * late 15th century – a distinguishing feature.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1550s – a promontory.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1570s – ''point out''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1746 – a unit of score in a game.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1814 – a unit of price on a stock exchange.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1934 – ''point up'', to emphasize.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The sharp end of something, such as a knife or pin.^(AHD)^(COED 2004)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A dot or mark, especially a full stop or a decimal point.^(AHD)^(COED 2004)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(geometry)'' A position that has no size.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A particular place or position.^(Collins 2023)

+ # A particular moment: ''at that point I left''.^(Collins 2023)

+ # The main idea or purpose: ''the point of the exercise''.^(Collins 2023)

+ # A single item or detail; an argument made: ''you've made your point''.^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024)

+ # A characteristic, especially a good one: ''his good points''.^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024)

+ # A unit of scoring or measurement, as in a game or on the stock exchange.^(Collins 2023)^(Etymonline)

+ # A piece of land jutting into the sea; a [[promontory]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(British)'' A junction of railway tracks.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To show direction or position, especially with a finger.^(AHD)

+ # To aim or direct: ''pointed the camera at us''.^(AHD)

+ # To sharpen.^(AHD)^(MWU 2024)

+ # To fill the joints of brickwork with mortar.^(AHD)^(MWU 2024)

+ # Of a hunting dog, to show where game is by standing still and facing it.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[point-and-click]]

+ * [[point-and-shoot]]

+ * [[pointer]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[point d'appui]]

+ * [[pungent]]

+ * [[punctuation]]

+ * [[punctual]]

+ * [[punctilious]]

+ * [[puncture]]

+ * [[pounce]]

+ * [[appoint]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}