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Semicolon

ASCII Code: 59•Category: punctuation

The semicolon (;) bridges the gap between commas and periods in writing while serving as a critical statement terminator in programming languages and structured data formats.

Technical Details

ASCII Code: 59
HTML Entity: ;
Hexadecimal: 0x3B
Binary: 00111011
Octal: 73

Usage & Examples

Programming

char symbol = ';'; // ASCII 59

HTML/Web

; or ;

Common Uses

semicolonpunctuationprogramminggrammarstatementssyntax

How to Type This Character

Windows

Alt Code:

Hold Alt and type59 on numeric keypad

Character Map:

Search "Character Map" in Start menu

Mac

Character Viewer:

Press Ctrl +Cmd +Space

Copy & Paste:

Easiest method - copy from this page!

💡 Pro tip: The fastest way is to bookmark this page or copy the character from our ASCII library!

Related Characters

Left Guillemet Double Angle Quotes

#171

Right Guillemet Double Angle Quotes

#187

Inverted Question Mark

#191

Hash symbol

#35

About the Semicolon

Grammatical Precision

The semicolon enables sophisticated sentence structure by connecting related independent clauses without full separation. It allows writers to show relationships between ideas while maintaining grammatical independence, enhancing literary and academic expression.

Programming Fundamentals

Essential as a statement terminator in languages like C, Java, JavaScript, and CSS. The semicolon marks the end of executable statements, preventing parsing errors and enabling multiple statements on single lines in code.

Academic Writing

Critical for complex sentence structures in scholarly work, legal documents, and formal communication. It enables nuanced expression of relationships between ideas that simple comma usage cannot adequately convey.

Cultural Debates

The semicolon has become a symbol of literary sophistication and grammatical knowledge, generating debates about its necessity and proper usage in both programming and prose writing communities.

History of the Semicolon

1494

Venetian Innovation

Venetian printer Aldus Manutius invented the semicolon by combining a comma and period, creating a punctuation mark for pauses longer than commas but shorter than periods.

1600s

English Adoption

English writers gradually adopted the semicolon for complex sentence structures, establishing its grammatical rules and literary applications that continue in modern formal writing.

1950s

Programming Languages

Early programming languages adopted the semicolon as a statement terminator, creating syntactic conventions that would become standard across dozens of programming languages.

1990s

Web Technologies

CSS and JavaScript reinforced the semicolon's importance in web development, making it essential for styling and interactive web functionality across billions of websites.

2000s

Literary Revival

Authors and educators began advocating for semicolon usage in response to simplified digital communication, creating movements to preserve sophisticated punctuation in formal writing.

Cultural Impact

The semicolon became a symbol of intellectual precision and technical competence, representing both literary sophistication and programming expertise in modern communication.

Usage Examples

Complex Sentences

Example

The project was challenging; however, the team succeeded beyond expectations.

Connecting related independent clauses in formal writing

Programming Syntax

Example

let x = 5; console.log(x); function getName() { return 'John'; }

Statement termination in JavaScript and other languages

CSS Styling

Example

body { margin: 0; padding: 20px; background: white; }

Property separation in web styling languages

Academic Lists

Example

Committee members: Dr. Smith, Chair; Prof. Jones, Secretary; Ms. Brown, Treasurer

Complex list organization with internal commas