Dot Operator ⋅

The Dot Operator character (⋅) is a standard HTML entity defined in the HTML specification. In HTML source code, it can be written using the named entity reference ⋅, the decimal numeric character reference ⋅, or the hexadecimal numeric reference ⋅. The character is assigned Unicode code point U+22C5 in the Universal Character Set.

The dot operator (⋅) is a mathematical multiplication symbol displayed as a vertically centered dot. It is the preferred multiplication sign in many mathematical traditions, especially European ones. It is also used for the dot product (scalar product) of vectors and general multiplication where × might be confused with the variable x.

Symbol entities encompass a wide variety of special characters used in legal disclaimers, intellectual property notices, typographic ornaments, card suit indicators, and miscellaneous notation throughout web content. These characters appear in website footers for copyright notices, product pages for trademark symbols, academic papers for dagger footnote markers, and decorative or gaming contexts for card suits and stars.

When deciding how to encode the Dot Operator character in your HTML documents, the named entity ⋅ is generally the most readable choice for developers reviewing or maintaining source code. The decimal form ⋅ and hexadecimal form ⋅ 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 dot operator for multiplication in mathematical formulas (a ⋅ b), dot products in vector mathematics, and any context where × might be ambiguous. European mathematical notation often prefers the dot operator over the cross-shaped multiplication sign.