Pronunciation

• SAMPA : /'{mp@(r)s{nd/
• IPA : /ˈæmpə(r)sænd/

Etymology

A corruption of ‘and per se--and' which is how the symbol was originally referred to in English. The character itself is a stylized E and T or et the Latin word for and. Romans used such symbols at least since the first century AD, but the character may not have aquired its present form until the advent of calligraphy in the middle ages.

Noun

1. The symbol "&" itself.

• example The ampersand character in many logics acts as a operator connecting two propositions.

2. A substitute for the word and in any context (though not generally used outside of signs and titles).

• "Smith & Sons Hardware"
• "Style & Substance, A Writer's Handbook"

Translations

• Bulgarian: амперсанд m
• Dutch: et-teken , ampersand
• Finnish: et-merkki
• French: esperluette f, esperluète f (Which, or both? See "Talk".)
• German: Kaufmannsund n
• Interlingua: e commercial
• Italian: e commerciale f
• Portuguese: e comercial m

See Also