·
Middle Dot Interpunct
The interpunct (·) serves as a word separator in ancient Latin inscriptions, a multiplication symbol in mathematics, and continues as an active punctuation mark in Catalan, while providing elegant visual separation in modern typography.
Technical Details
- ASCII Code
- 183
- HTML Entity
- ·
- Hexadecimal
- 0xB7
- Binary
- 10110111
- Octal
- 267
Usage & Examples
Programming
char symbol = '·'; // ASCII 183HTML/Web
· or ·Common Uses
How to Type This Character
Windows
Mac
💡 Pro tip: The fastest way is to bookmark this page or copy the character from our ASCII library!
Related Characters
About the Middle Dot Interpunct
Historical Latin Heritage
Essential element of classical Latin epigraphy, appearing in thousands of ancient Roman inscriptions, monuments, and official documents. The interpunct connected the Roman Empire's administrative and cultural communications, from the Colosseum to Hadrian's Wall.
Catalan Language Function
Active punctuation mark in modern Catalan, used between repeated letters to indicate separate pronunciation (l·l as in 'intel·ligent'). Critical for proper Catalan orthography and communication with 10+ million Catalan speakers worldwide.
Mathematical Notation
Standard multiplication symbol in many European mathematical traditions, appearing in academic publications, scientific research, and educational materials as an alternative to the × symbol, particularly in typographically sophisticated contexts.
Typographic Elegance
Provides refined visual separation in design layouts, navigation menus, breadcrumb trails, and elegant text formatting. The middle dot creates sophisticated visual hierarchy without the heaviness of other separator symbols.
History of the Middle Dot Interpunct
Roman Empire Usage
Romans used interpuncts extensively in inscriptions, coins, and official documents throughout the empire, making it one of the most widespread punctuation marks in ancient Western civilization.
Manuscript Tradition
Medieval scribes continued using interpuncts in Latin manuscripts and formal documents, preserving the classical tradition while adapting it for Christian and scholarly texts.
Renaissance Revival
Renaissance humanists studying classical texts encountered interpuncts in ancient inscriptions, leading to renewed scholarly interest in classical Latin punctuation systems.
Catalan Standardization
Modern Catalan orthography officially adopted the interpunct for specific grammatical functions, giving this ancient symbol a contemporary linguistic role in European communication.
Digital Typography
Web design and digital typography embraced the interpunct for elegant navigation, breadcrumb trails, and visual separation, combining ancient heritage with modern functionality.
Cultural Impact
The interpunct bridges 2,000+ years of Western civilization, from Roman imperial inscriptions to modern Catalan newspapers, demonstrating how ancient typographic traditions continue to serve contemporary communication needs.
Usage Examples
Classical Latin Inscriptions
ExampleAncient Roman official inscriptions and monumental texts
Modern Catalan
ExampleContemporary Catalan orthography for double consonant separation
Mathematical Notation
ExampleEuropean mathematical multiplication and dot product notation
Web Navigation
ExampleElegant breadcrumb trails and menu separators in web design