[sem-i-koh-luh
n] 
| the punctuation mark (;) used to indicate a major division in a sentence where a more distinct separation is felt between clauses or items on a list than is indicated by a comma, as between the two clauses of a compound sentence. |
| sem·i·co·lon (sěm'ĭ-kō'lən) n. A mark of punctuation ( ; ) used to connect independent clauses and indicating a closer relationship between the clauses than a period does. |
A punctuation mark (;) used to join two independent clauses in a sentence. The semicolon shows that the ideas in the two clauses are related: “Jack really didn't mind being left without a car; he had the house to himself.”