Phrase guide

serial comma

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A comma preceding the final conjunction in a list of three or more items, especially to provide clarity.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: Oxford comma, Harvard comma

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Synonym of enumeration comma (“Chinese list comma”)

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: enumeration comma

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 連續逗號 /连续逗号 (liánxù dòuhào) — comma preceding the final conjunction in a list
  • Chinese Mandarin: 牛津逗號 /牛津逗号 (Niújīn dòuhào) — comma preceding the final conjunction in a list
  • Chinese Mandarin: 哈佛逗號 /哈佛逗号 (Hāfó dòuhào) — comma preceding the final conjunction in a list
  • Dutch: Oxford-komma — comma preceding the final conjunction in a list
  • Finnish: Oxford-pilkku — comma preceding the final conjunction in a list
  • Spanish: coma serial — comma preceding the final conjunction in a list
  • Swedish: Oxfordkomma — comma preceding the final conjunction in a list
  • Swedish: Oxford-komma — comma preceding the final conjunction in a list