noun
comma
KAH-muh/ˈkɑːmə/
A punctuation mark (,) that separates parts of a sentence.
A single black comma appears on the small white slip of paper.
Etymology
A komma was literally a “piece cut off,” then a short clause viewed as a piece of a sentence. The name shifted from that segment to the punctuation mark separating it.
In context
Going forward, the next line has a comma in the middle asking us to pause.
More examples
- Use commas to separate the items in your shopping list.
- In “Thanks, Maria,” the comma sets off the person's name.
- The editor adds a comma before “but” to separate two clauses.
Forms
comma · commas