An ampersand is the character '&' used to represent the word 'and'. Its name evolved from the phrase 'and per se and', which referred to the symbol being used alone.
An ampersand is the character '&' used to represent the word 'and'. Its name evolved from the phrase 'and per se and', which referred to the symbol being used alone.
| Word | ampersand |
|---|---|
| Date | September 7, 2015 |
| Type | noun |
| Syllables | am-pər-sand |
| Etymology | Despite appearances, the history of ampersand owes nothing to amp or sand. The familiar character & derives from a symbol that was used in place of the Latin word et, which also means "and." In the late Middle Ages, single letters used as words-words like I-were, when spelled, incorporated into a phrase that clarified that they were in fact individual words. For I the phrase was I per se, I, which in Latin means "I by itself (is the word) I." In early lists of the alphabet, Z was followed by the symbol &, which was rendered & per se, and, meaning "& by itself (is the word) and." Over the years, that phrase (which when spoken aloud was pronounced "and per se and") was shortened by English speakers to ampersand. |
| Examples | The company coming out of this merger will have a name that combines elements of each of the original companies' names with an ampersand. "The techies attempt to log in as me. They fail.… They are flummoxed.… Did I log in too many times? Did the ampersand in my password (NTTAisGREAT&) throw off the system?" -Dave Lieber, The Dallas Morning News, 25 July 2015 |
| Definition | : a character & that is used for the word and |
Tags: wordoftheday::noun
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