Greek Small Letter Nu ν

The Greek Small Letter Nu character (ν) is a standard HTML entity defined in the HTML specification. In HTML source code, it can be written using the named entity reference ν, the decimal numeric character reference ν, or the hexadecimal numeric reference ν. The character is assigned Unicode code point U+03BD in the Universal Character Set.

Nu is the thirteenth letter of the Greek alphabet, representing frequency in physics, kinematic viscosity in fluid dynamics, and degrees of freedom in statistics. Care must be taken not to confuse nu (ν) with the Latin letter v, as they appear very similar in many typefaces.

Greek letter entities are indispensable for scientific papers, engineering documentation, statistical analyses, and mathematical content published on the web. From physics equations using alpha and omega to statistical formulas featuring sigma and mu, these entities allow content authors to include Greek characters reliably without requiring specialized fonts or complex Unicode input methods on the keyboard.

When deciding how to encode the Greek Small Letter Nu character in your HTML documents, the named entity ν is generally the most readable choice for developers reviewing or maintaining source code. The decimal form ν and hexadecimal form ν are equally valid alternatives that work in contexts where named entities may not be supported, or when generating HTML output programmatically from server-side code. All three representations produce identical visual output in every modern web browser.

Use the nu entity in physics (frequency ν), fluid dynamics (kinematic viscosity ν), and statistics (degrees of freedom). Be aware that nu and the Latin v look nearly identical in sans-serif fonts — consider using a serif font or adding context to prevent reader confusion.