comma

IPA/ˈkɒmə/
KK[kˈɑmə]IPA/ˈkɑːmə/

comma — noun

  • commasingular
  • commasplural

1. the small curved sign ( , ) that writers put in a sentence to create a short pau

1.nounB1
Definition

the small curved sign ( , ) that writers put in a sentence to create a short pause, or to mark where each separate entry in a series begins.

Example

Before you start cooking, read the full recipe and check where each comma belongs.

comma after introductory clause

In English class, the teacher asked everyone to place a comma after "however".

comma after conjunctive adverb

Common collocations
  • add a comma
  • place a comma
  • miss a comma
  • comma after [something]
  • comma before [something]
  • missing comma
Synonyms
  • punctuation mark

    a broader category that includes commas, periods, and other symbols

Grammar Patterns

comma + after/before + noun phrase

add/place + comma

Common Mistakes

I like cooking my family and my dog.
I like cooking, my family, and my dog.
Without the comma after 'cooking', the sentence seems to say the person cooks their family and their dog.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

A comma (,) creates the shortest pause — it separates items in a list, links clauses, or sets off extra information. A period (.) ends a sentence completely. A semicolon (;) joins two related full sentences without a connecting word like 'and' or 'but'. A colon (:) introduces something that follows, such as a list, a quote, or an explanation. For example: 'Priya brought apples, oranges, and bananas' (comma for a list); 'Priya brought fruit: apples, oranges, and bananas' (colon introduces the list itself); 'Priya brought apples; she also brought oranges' (semicolon joins two complete thoughts).

comma ↗period ↗semicoloncolon ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • comma rule
  • comma usage
  • comma splice

Phrases

  • add a comma
  • place a comma
  • missing comma

Prepositions

  • comma after
  • comma before
  • comma between

Etymology

GreekLatinEnglish

The word 'comma' came into English from Latin, which borrowed it from Ancient Greek 'κόμμα' (kómma), meaning 'a piece cut off' or 'a short clause'. In ancient Greek writing, a komma was a short phrase or a cutting. Over time, the word came to refer to the punctuation mark used to separate such short phrases.