point

1 of 2

noun

ˈpȯint 

1

a(1)

: an individual detail : item

(2)

: a distinguishing detail

tact is one of her strong points

b

: the most important essential in a discussion or matter

missed the whole point of the joke

c

: cogency

2

obsolete : physical condition

3

: an end or object to be achieved : purpose

did not see what point there was in continuing the discussion

4

a

: a geometric element that has zero dimensions and a location determinable by an ordered set of coordinates

b(1)

: a narrowly localized place having a precisely indicated position

walked to a point 50 yards north of the building

(2)

: a particular place : locality

have come from distant points

c(1)

: an exact moment

at this point I was interrupted

(2)

: a time interval immediately before something indicated : verge

at the point of death

d(1)

: a particular step, stage, or degree in development

had reached the point where nothing seemed to matter anymore

(2)

: a definite position in a scale

5

a

: the terminal usually sharp or narrowly rounded part of something : tip

b

: a weapon or tool having such a part and used for stabbing or piercing: such as

(1)

: arrowhead

(2)

: spearhead

c(1)

: the contact or discharge extremity of an electric device (such as a spark plug or distributor)

(2)

chiefly British : an electric outlet

6

a

: a projecting usually tapering piece of land or a sharp prominence

b(1)

: the tip of a projecting body part

(2)

: tine sense 2

(3)

points plural : the extremities or markings of the extremities of an animal especially when of a color differing from the rest of the body

c

: a railroad switch

d

: the head of the bow of a stringed instrument

7

: a short musical phrase

especially : a phrase in contrapuntal music

8

a

: a very small mark

b(1)

: punctuation mark

especially : period sense 5a(1)

(2)

: decimal point

9

: a lace for tying parts of a garment together used especially in the 16th and 17th centuries

10

: one of usually 11 divisions of a heraldic shield that determines the position of a charge

11

a

: one of the 32 equidistant spots of a compass card for indicating direction

b

: the difference of 11¹/₄ degrees between two such successive points

c

: a direction indicated by a compass point

from all points of the compass

12

: a small detachment ahead of an advance guard or behind a rear guard

13

a

: needlepoint sense 1

b

: lace made with a bobbin

14

: one of 12 spaces marked off on each side of a backgammon board

15

: a unit of measurement: such as

a(1)

: a unit of counting in the scoring of a game or contest

(2)

: a unit used in evaluating the strength of a bridge hand

b

: a unit of academic credit

c(1)

: a unit used in quoting prices (as of stocks, bonds, and commodities)

(2)

points plural : a percentage of the face value of a loan often added as a placement fee or service charge

(3)

: a percentage of the profits of a business venture (such as a motion-picture production)

d

: a unit of about ¹/₇₂ inch used especially to measure the size of type

16

: the action of pointing: such as

a

: the rigidly intent attitude of a hunting dog marking game for a gunner

b

: the action in dancing of extending one leg and arching the foot so that only the tips of the toes touch the floor

17

: a position of a player in various games (such as lacrosse)

also : the player of such a position

18

: a number thrown on the first roll of the dice in craps which the player attempts to repeat before throwing a seven compare missout, pass sense 13

19

: credit accruing from creating a good impression

scored points for hard work

point

2 of 2

verb

pointed; pointing; points

transitive verb

1

a

: to furnish with a point : sharpen

pointing a pencil with a knife

b

: to give added force, emphasis, or piquancy to

point up a remark

2

: to scratch out the old mortar from the joints of (something, such as a brick wall) and fill in with new material

3

a(1)

: to mark the pauses or grammatical divisions in : punctuate

(2)

: to separate (a decimal fraction) from an integer by a decimal point

—usually used with off

b

: to mark (words, such as Hebrew words) with diacritics (such as vowel points)

4

a(1)

: to indicate the position or direction of especially by extending a finger

point the way home

(2)

: to direct someone's attention to

point the way to new knowledge

—Elizabeth Hall

—usually used with out or up

point out a mistake

points up the difference

b

of a hunting dog : to indicate the presence and place of (game) by stiffening into a fixed position with head and gaze directed toward the animal hunted

5

a

: to cause to be turned in a particular direction

point a gun

pointed the boat upstream

b

: to extend (a leg) and arch (the foot) in executing a point in dancing

intransitive verb

1

a

: to indicate the fact or probability of something specified

everything points to a bright future

b

: to indicate the position or direction of something especially by extending a finger

point at the map

c

: to direct attention

can point with pride to their own traditions

d

: to point game

a dog that points well

2

a

: to lie extended, aimed, or turned in a particular direction

a directional arrow that pointed to the north

b

: to execute a point in dancing

3

of a ship : to sail close to the wind

4

: to train for a particular contest

Phrases

beside the point

: irrelevant

in point of

: with regard to : in the matter of

in point of law

in point of fact

to the point

: relevant, pertinent

a suggestion that was to the point

on point

: relevant to the issue at hand : accurate and appropriate for the purpose or situation

trying to stay on point

And although much of this criticism is naïve, altogether too much of it is right on point

—Richard Morin

Synonyms

Noun

• juncture

Verb

• bespeak
• betoken
• denote
• indicate
• mean
• signify
• tell (of)

Examples of point in a Sentence

Noun

She showed us several graphs to illustrate the point she was making.

I see your point, but I don't think everyone will agree.

There's no use in arguing the point.

He made a very good point about the need for change.

Let me make one final point.

That's the point I've been trying to make.

“What's your point?” “Actually, I have two points.”

My point is simply that we must do something to help the homeless.

“If we leave now, we won't make it back in time.” “That's a good point.”

There are two critical points that I would like to discuss.

Verb

“It's not polite to point,” she said.

When I asked the child where his mother was, he pointed in the direction of the house.

Pointing with his cane, the old man asked, “Whose dog is that?”.

She pointed her finger at the door.

They pointed their microphones in my direction.

We can leave when the minute hand points to 12.

Stand with your arms at your sides and your hands pointing downward.

The ship was pointing into the wind.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

There are definite issues that will culminate at some point in 2025. —Brian Mazique, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024

Based on responses about personal guilty travel behaviors, points were assigned and averaged for each state. —Marley Malenfant, Austin American-Statesman, 2 Dec. 2024

Verb

In one photo shared by police, the suspect is seen holding out and pointing a gun. —Lauren Irwin, The Hill, 4 Dec. 2024

Keeping leaves pointed in the same direction, repeat until half the form is covered with leaves. —Kathy Barnes, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, partly from Anglo-French, prick, dot, moment, from Latin punctum, from neuter of punctus, past participle of pungere to prick; partly from Anglo-French pointe sharp end, from Vulgar Latin *puncta, from Latin, feminine of punctus, past participle — more at pungent

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing point

• all points/every point of the compass
• basis point
• blue point
• boiling point
• break-even point
• breaking point
• break point
• brownie point
• bullet point
• cardinal point
• case in point
• choke point
• come/get to the point
• critical point
• Curie point
• decimal point
• dew point
• drive one's point home
• end point
• exclamation point
• extra point
• fixed point
• flash point
• floating point
• focal point
• freezing point
• from (point) A to (point) B
• from that point on
• game point
• get one's point across
• grade point
• grade point average
• growing point
• high point
• ice point
• ideal point
• inflection point
• in point of fact
• interrogation point
• labor/belabor the point
• labor the point
• libration point
• limit point
• low point
• make a point of (doing something)
• make it a point to (do something)
• match point
• melting point
• more to the point
• near point
• not to put too fine a point on it
• on/at the point of (doing something)
• pain point
• pedal point
• pen point
• percentage point
• petit point
• point an accusing finger at
• point-and-click
• point-and-shoot
• point a/the finger at
• point-blank
• point count
• point d'appui
• point-device
• point estimate
• point estimation
• point fingers at
• point guard
• point lace
• point man
• point mutation
• point of accumulation
• point of care
• point of contention
• point of departure
• point of honor
• point of inflection
• point of no return
• point of order
• point of origin
• point-of-purchase
• point of reference
• point-of-service
• point of view
• point one's toes
• point out
• point person
• point set topology
• point-shaving
• point source
• point spread
• point taken
• point the way
• point to
• point-to-point
• point toward
• point up (something)
• pour point
• power point
• press the point
• pressure point
• price point
• prove a point
• put an exclamation point on
• quality point
• quality point average
• rallying point
• reference point
• saturation point
• seal point
• selling point
• set point
• singular point
• smoke point
• smoking point
• starting point
• sticking point
• strain a point
• stretch a point
• subsolar point
• talking point
• technical point
• three-point landing
• three-point line
• three-point turn
• tipping point
• to the point of
• touch point
• trigger point
• triple point
• try for point
• tuck-point
• turning point
• up to a point
• vanishing point
• vantage point
• vowel point

Kids Definition

point

1 of 2 noun

ˈpȯint 

1

a

: an individual detail : item

two points that were important to remember

b

: a distinguishing detail : characteristic

politeness was a strong point

c

: the chief part or meaning

the point of the joke

2

: a goal to be achieved : purpose

there's no point in continuing

3

a

: a geometric element that has position but no dimensions and is pictured as a small dot

b

: a usually small or precise place : locality

a starting point

c

: an exact moment

at this point they were interrupted

d

: a step, stage, or degree in development or rank

the melting point of ice

up to a point it was a good performance

4

a

: the usually sharp or tapering end of something (as a sword or pencil) : tip

b

: either of two metal pieces in a distributor through which the circuit is made or broken

5

: a piece of land that sticks out

6

a

: a very small mark : dot

b

: punctuation mark

especially : period sense 2

c

: decimal point

7

a

: one of the 32 marks indicating direction on a compass used by seamen

b

: the difference of 11¼ degrees between two such adjacent points

8

: a unit used in giving a value or score

scored fifteen points

9

: the action of pointing

point

2 of 2 verb

1

a

: to furnish with a point

point a pencil with a knife

b

: to give force to

point up a remark with actual examples

2

a

: punctuate sense 1

b

: to separate a fraction from a whole number by a decimal point

point off three decimal places

3

a

: to show the position or direction of especially by extending a finger

point out a house

b

: to direct someone's attention to

point out a mistake

c

: to indicate game by freezing into a fixed position with head and gaze directed toward the object hunted

a dog that points well

4

: to turn, face, or cause to be turned in a particular direction : aim

point the boat upstream

5

: to indicate the fact or probability of something

everything points to a bright future

Medical Definition

point

1 of 2 noun

ˈpȯint 

1

: a narrowly localized place or area

2

: the terminal usually sharp or narrowly rounded part of something

3

: a definite measurable position in a scale see boiling point, freezing point

point

2 of 2 intransitive verb

of an abscess

: to become distended with pus prior to breaking

Legal Definition

point

noun

1

: a particular detail, proposition, or issue of law

specifically : point of error

2

: any of various incremental units used in measuring, fixing, or calculating something: as

a

: a unit used in calculating a sentence by various factors (as aggravating or mitigating circumstances)

b

: a unit used in the pricing of securities and valuation of markets

c

: a charge to a borrower (as a mortgagor) that is equal to one percent of the principal and that is made at closing