diff --git a/pygeoif/functions.py b/pygeoif/functions.py
index 1d771285..034f669e 100644
--- a/pygeoif/functions.py
+++ b/pygeoif/functions.py
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ def move_coordinates(
     Move the coordinates recursively by the given vector.
 
     This forcefully changes the dimension of each of the coordinate to match
-    the dimension of the vector.
+    the dimensionality of the vector.
     >>> move_coordinates(((0, 0), (-1, 1)), (-1, 1))
     ((-1, 1), (-2, 2))
     >>> move_coordinates(((0, 0, 0), (-1, 1, 0)), (-1, 1))
@@ -228,15 +228,27 @@ def move_coordinates(
     >>> move_coordinates(((0, 0), (-1, 1)), (-1, 1, 0))
     ((-1, 1, 0), (-2, 2, 0))
     """
-    if isinstance(coordinates, (tuple, list)) and isinstance(
-        coordinates[0],
-        (int, float),
-    ):
-        # coordinates is just a list of numbers, i.e. represents a single coordinate
+    if is_coordinate(coordinates):
+        # a single coordinate
         return move_coordinate(coordinates, move_by, z)
+    # a list of coordinates
     return tuple(move_coordinates(c, move_by, z) for c in coordinates)
 
 
+def is_coordinate(val: Any) -> bool:  # noqa: ANN401
+    """
+    Check if given value is a coordinate i.e. vector of generic dimensionality.
+
+    >>> is_coordinate((1, 0))
+    True
+    >>> is_coordinate(1)
+    False
+    >>> is_coordinate([(1, 2), (3, 4)])
+    False
+    """
+    return isinstance(val, tuple) and all(isinstance(x, (int, float)) for x in val)
+
+
 __all__ = [
     "centroid",
     "compare_coordinates",
@@ -245,5 +257,6 @@ def move_coordinates(
     "dedupe",
     "move_coordinate",
     "move_coordinates",
+    "is_coordinate",
     "signed_area",
 ]
diff --git a/tests/test_functions.py b/tests/test_functions.py
index e1441a22..8966e215 100644
--- a/tests/test_functions.py
+++ b/tests/test_functions.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 from pygeoif.functions import convex_hull
 from pygeoif.functions import dedupe
 from pygeoif.functions import signed_area
+from pygeoif.functions import is_coordinate
 
 
 def circle_ish(x, y, r, steps):
@@ -452,3 +453,18 @@ def test_compare_neq_empty_geo_interface() -> None:
     }
 
     assert compare_geo_interface(geo_if, {}) is False
+
+
+def test_is_coordinate() -> None:
+    assert is_coordinate((1, 2)) is True
+    assert is_coordinate((1,)) is True
+
+
+def test_is_coordinate_not_composite_coordinates() -> None:
+    assert is_coordinate([(1, 2)]) is False
+    assert is_coordinate(((1, 2), )) is False
+    assert is_coordinate((((1, 2), ), )) is False
+
+
+def test_is_coordinate_not_primitive() -> None:
+    assert is_coordinate(1) is False