Ampersand
/ˈæm.pər.sænd/noun
The symbol & meaning “and.”
Did you know?The word *ampersand* was born from the way schoolchildren recited the letter & at the end of the alphabet: “and, per se, and,” meaning “and, by itself, is ‘and.’”
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
et
“and”
Old English
English
and
“and”
Middle English
English
and per se and
“the phrase used to name the symbol & aloud”
18th Century
English
ampersand
“the name of the character &, formed from rapid recitation of the phrase”
Modern English
English
ampersand
“the symbol & meaning “and””