| 词源 |
punctual adj.c. 1400, "having a sharp point; producing punctures," senses now rare or obsolete, from Medieval Latin punctualis, from Latin punctus "a pricking" (from nasalized form of PIE root *peuk- "to prick"). The meaning "prompt" is recorded by 1670s, from the notion of "exact, precise, insisting on fine points," including the observation of time and the keeping of appointments (c. 1600). Related: Punctually. updated on February 04, 2021 |