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full point

full point

1 1.0
A small dot used to end a sentence or follow abbreviations
  • noun
  • /fʊl pɔɪnt/
  • UK
translation icon : punto
  • Make sure you place a full point at the end of each declarative sentence.
  • rate a full point
  • almost a full point

Examples

  • I remember thinking, "This doesn't count as a full point."

  • Gross margin did improve a full point from last year, but still missed most sell-side expectations.

    Blog text (17)
  • If your proposal receives fewer than full points, treat it as a learning experience and use the comments to improve your grant writing in the future.

    Academic text (1998)
  • Full point.

    Blog text (18)
  • During the past decade, the U.S. rating fell nearly a full point on our 0-to-10 point scale, from 8.65 in 2000 to 7.70 in 2010.

    Blog text (6)
  • A full point is used to indicate the end of this sentence.

  • In American English, the symbol for a full point is called a period.

Synonyms

point
vsfull point
574 1.0

A small dot that separates whole numbers from decimals

is the same dot only used specifically to end declarative sentences
period
vsfull point
  • US
96 1.0

A dot at the end of a sentence to show it ends

is the same mark but named differently in American usage
stop
vsfull point
  • UK
9 1.0

The mark you put at the end of a sentence

is the same mark but named differently in American usage
full stop
vsfull point
  • UK
1 1.0

A mark placed at the end of a sentence or after an abbreviation

is the same mark but named differently in American usage

Surface Forms

full point singular
full points plural
periods plural
period singular

Morphology

full + point

The meaning 'period/full stop' is directly inferable because 'point' can denote a small dot or punctuation mark and 'full' signals a complete/terminal mark, so the combined sense of a final dot is compositionally transparent. This compositional pattern (point/punto/point as a punctuation mark) is common cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would very likely understand the intended meaning.

Etymology

Full point may come from old printing, where printers marked the end of a sentence with a small filled-in point or dot. That's why full point today means the small dot of punctuation that ends a sentence, called a 'period' in American English.