punctilio

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punctilio † fine or minute point; minute detail of conduct. XVI (puntilio). — It. puntiglio, Sp. puntillo, dim. of punto POINT; later assim. to L.
So punctilious XVII. — F. pointilleux. punctual pert. to a point or dot XIV; † bearing on the point, precise; † minutely observant of rule, etc.; exactly observant of appointed time XVII. — medL. punctuālis (see -AL1); hence punctuality XVII. punctuate point out (rare) XVII; put the stops in (a sentence) XIX. f. pp. stem of medL. punctuāre prick, point, etc.; see -ATE3. So punctuation † pointing of the psalms XVI; insertion of vowel points in Hebrew, etc., of stops in a sentence XVII. — medL. punctuātiō. puncture prick, perforation. XIV (rare before XVI). — L. punctūra (see -URE); hence vb. XVII.

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