obelus

== English == === Alternative forms === obolus === Etymology === From Middle English obelus, obelo, from Old English obelus, from Late Latin obelus (“critical mark”), from Koine Greek ὀβελός (obelós, “critical mark”), Ancient Greek ὀβελός (obelós, “rod, spit; obelisk; critical mark”). The further etymology is uncertain; a derivation from βέλος (bélos, “arrow, dart, missile”) (from Proto-Indo-European *gʷelH- (“to pierce; to reach; to throw; to hit by throwing”)) has been suggested, but the initial vowel remains unexplained. Compare obelisk. The plural form obeli is derived from Late Latin obeli, from Ancient Greek ὀβελοί (obeloí). === Pronunciation === Singular: (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈɒbɪləs/, /ˈɒbləs/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˈɑbələs/ Plural (obeli): (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈɒbɪlaɪ/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˈɑbəˌlaɪ/ Hyphenation: obe‧lus === Noun === obelus (plural obeluses or obeli) (typography) (historical) A symbol resembling a horizontal line (–), sometimes together with one or two dots (for example, ⨪ or ÷), which was used in ancient manuscripts and texts to mark a word or passage as doubtful or spurious, or redundant; an obelisk. A dagger symbol (†), which is used in printed matter as a reference mark to refer the reader to a footnote, marginal note, etc.; beside a person's name to indicate that the person is deceased; or beside a date to indicate that it is a person's death date; an obelisk. ==== Usage notes ==== Obelus was used in Middle English, but thereafter was displaced by obelisk until the 19th century when both words began to be used with equal regularity. An obelus with two dots above and below the line (÷) is now often used in mathematical equations to represent division. ==== Derived terms ==== double obelus (rare) obelic obelised, obelized (adjective) ==== Related terms ==== obelisk obelism (obsolete, rare) obelise, obelize ==== Translations ==== === See also === double dagger === References === === Further reading === obelus on Wikipedia.Wikipedia === Anagrams === Belous, Lobues, besoul, blouse, boules == Latin == === Etymology === From Ancient Greek ὀβελός (obelós). === Noun === obelus m (genitive obelī); second declension (Late Latin) (typography) obelisk (diacritical mark) ==== Declension ==== Second-declension noun. ==== Related terms ==== obelus === References === “obelus”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press “obelus”, in Gaffiot, Félix (1934), Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.