punctum means A sharp tip of any part of the anatomy; a point or other small area.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, punctum ranks #6,655 of 17,113 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #6,906 of 17,123 for Most Malleable Words, #8,988 of 17,115 for Scariest Words, #13,293 of 17,118 for Most Ponderous Words.
Why “punctum” is a great word
A small, distinct point or detail, particularly one in a photograph that pierces the viewer's attention and evokes a personal, emotional response beyond the image's general subject. From Latin pūnctum, neuter past participle of pungere ("to prick, pierce"), meaning "a small hole made by pricking, a point." Unlike "studium," the photograph's general, intellectual field of interest, or a neutral "point" of location, punctum is the private wound. It is the unkempt fingernail in a formal portrait, the scuff on a child's shoe, the arresting off-center gaze—a sting of the specific that unravels the universal, leaving a small, permanent puncture in the scrim of the seen.
Etymology
From Latin pūnctum. Doublet of point, pointe, ponto, puncto, punt, and punto.
noun
- A sharp tip of any part of the anatomy; a point or other small area.e.g.“Thus, from what has been stated, we see that neither the white puncta nor the minute white branchwork of lines were ever tubular.”
- A neume representing a single tone.
- A detail in a photograph that captures the viewer's attention and evokes an emotional response or personal connection beyond the intended subject.
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