semicolon
[/ˌsemiˈkoʊlən/]
nounmasculinepl: semicolons
ponto-e-vírgula
1. A punctuation mark (;) used to separate two independent clauses or items in a complex list
She loved writing; he preferred reading.
Ela adorava escrever; ele preferia ler.
2. A punctuation mark indicating a pause longer than a comma but shorter than a period
The project has three phases; planning, execution, and evaluation.
O projeto tem três fases; planejamento, execução e avaliação.
In both American and Brazilian English education, the semicolon is emphasized as an important but frequently misused punctuation mark. In Portuguese, the ponto-e-vírgula follows similar grammatical rules and is equally important in formal academic and professional writing. The semicolon has gained cultural relevance in recent years through internet culture and typography appreciation communities.
Related Idioms & Phrases
semicolon splice - a grammatical error of joining independent clauses with only a semicolon
semicolon rule - guidelines for proper semicolon usage in writing
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