comma

noun

com·​ma ˈkä-mə 

1

: a punctuation mark, used especially as a mark of separation within the sentence

2

: pause, interval

3

: any of several nymphalid butterflies (genus Polygonia) with a silvery comma-shaped mark on the underside of the hind wings

Examples of comma in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Gemini took care with its enjambment, carefully crafting stanzas, but didn’t use punctuation outside of periods and commas. —PC Magazine, 6 May 2025

Note that there is no comma—no Oxford comma, that is, beloved of this publication and often scorned elsewhere—before the conjunction. —Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 5 May 2025

Then there’s a blur again, and a receipt with a comma. —Jordan Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 7 Apr. 2025

Pretty sure there’s going to be an extra comma in his salary. —Corey Masisak, The Denver Post, 11 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin, from Latin, part of a sentence, from Greek komma segment, clause, from koptein to cut — more at capon

First Known Use

1554, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing comma

• comma fault
• comma splice
• inverted comma

Rhymes for comma

• brahma
• chama
• dama
• drama
• gama
• lama
• llama
• mama
• mamma
• momma
• rama
• sama

Video

The Serial Comma Explained

Why don't they call it the Merriam-Webster comma?

Kids Definition

comma

noun

com·​ma ˈkäm-ə 

: a punctuation mark , used chiefly to show separation of words or word groups within a sentence