Superscript One ¹

The Superscript One character (¹) is a standard HTML entity defined in the HTML specification. In HTML source code, it can be written using the named entity reference ¹, the decimal numeric character reference ¹, or the hexadecimal numeric reference ¹. The character is assigned Unicode code point U+00B9 in the Universal Character Set.

The superscript one is a preformatted character displaying the digit 1 in a raised position. It is used in footnote references, unit notation, and mathematical expressions. While the HTML <sup> tag can also create superscript text, the entity character has a fixed typographic form.

Mathematical HTML entities enable web authors to display proper mathematical notation without relying on images or specialized rendering libraries like MathJax or KaTeX. While complex equations and multi-line formulas may still benefit from dedicated math typesetting tools, individual symbols expressed as HTML entities render quickly, remain accessible to screen readers, and can be styled with CSS just like regular text content.

When deciding how to encode the Superscript One character in your HTML documents, the named entity &sup1; is generally the most readable choice for developers reviewing or maintaining source code. The decimal form &#185; and hexadecimal form &#xB9; 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 superscript one for footnote markers, ordinal indicators in some languages, and mathematical notation like inverse functions (sin⁻¹). For dynamic superscript styling, the HTML <sup> element with CSS offers more flexibility, but the entity is convenient for inline use.