Etymology

Noun

1. A location or place.

   We should meet at a pre-arranged point.

2. A zero-dimensional mathematical object representing a location in one or more dimensions.
3. A particular moment in an event or occurrence.

   There comes a point in a marathon when some people give up.

   At this point in the meeting, I'd like to propose a new item for the agenda.

4. The sharp tip of an object.

   Cut the skin with the point of the knife.

5. A peninsula.
6. One of the twelve triangular positions in either table of a backgammon board, on which the stones are played.
7. A decimal point (used when reading decimal fractions aloud).

   10.5 ("ten point five"; = ten and a half)

8. An opinion which adds (or supposedly adds) to the discussion; the most important essential in a discussion or matter.

   David made a valuable point about the strengths of our competitors.

   The Congress debated the finer points of the bill.

9. A unit of measure of success or failure in a game or competition; the unit of scoring.

   The one with the most points will win the game

   Germany awarded Greece the maximum 12 points in the Eurovision Song Contest.

10. An extremity of an animal.

    The point color of that cat was a deep, rich sable.

11. a fielding position square of the wicket on the off side, between gully and cover.
12. The position at the front or vanguard of an advancing force.
    • 2005, Martin Torgoff, Can't Find My Way Home: America in the Great Stoned Age, 1945–2000, Simon & Schuster, ISBN 978-0-7432-3011-6, page 189:

      Willie Jones decided to become Kimani Jones, Black Panther, on the day his best friend, Otis Nicholson, stepped on a mine while walking point during a sweep in the central highlands.

13. An angle equivalent to eleven and a quarter degrees, that is 1/32 of a circle. Most commonly used to indicate a relative bearing to an object or vessel, but can be used to describe a compass bearing.
14. A compass point.
15. a unit of measure equal to 1/12 of a pica, or approximately 1/72 of an inch (exactly 1/72 of an inch in the digital era).
16. The purpose of something.

    Since the decision has already been made, I see little point in further discussion.

Synonyms

• (location or place): location, place, position, spot
• (in geometry):
• (particular moment in an event or occurrence): moment, time
• (sharp tip): end, tip
• (arithmetic symbol): decimal point (name of the symbol; not used when reading decimal fractions aloud)
• (opinion): opinion, point of view, view, viewpoint
• (unit of measure of success or failure): mark (in a competition)
• (colo(u)r of extremities of an animal):

See also

• Appendix:Collocations of do, have, make, and take for the use of point with these verbs

Related terms

• appoint
• pointillism
• punctilious

• punctual
• punctuate
• punctuation

Verb

1. To extend the index finger in the direction of something in order to show where it is or to draw attention to it.

   It's rude to point at other people.

2. To direct or encourage (someone) in a particular direction

   If he asks for food, point him toward the refrigerator.

3. In a computer program, to direct the central processing unit to seek information at a certain location in memory.
4. On the Internet, to direct requests sent to a domain name to the IP address corresponding to that domain name.