semicolon
/ˈsemikoʊlən/
joins independent clauses without a conjunction; signals close relationship
semicolon in a sentence
“I came; I saw; I conquered. Use it when a period is too strong, a comma too weak.”
Origin of semicolon
Greek hemi- (half) + Latin colon (clause)
Related Words
em dash
sets off parenthetical content with emphasis—like this—or signals a break
en dash
indicates ranges or connections between items
Oxford comma
the comma before 'and' in a list of three or more
colon
introduces what follows—a list, explanation, or elaboration
ellipsis
indicates omission, trailing off, or suspense
parenthetical
an inserted phrase that adds information without changing the main sentence