Obelus
/ˈɒbɪləs/noun
A symbol used in editing or mathematics, especially the division sign (÷) or a mark indicating doubtful text.
Did you know?In ancient scholarship, the obelus was literally a critical mark for attacking suspicious lines of text, and its name comes from the Greek word for a pointed spit or dagger-like skewer.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Gk
obelos
“a spit, pointed rod, or skewer”
Hellenistic Greek
Gk
obelos
“a critical mark in manuscripts, shaped like a spit or dagger”
Late Latin
Lat
obelus
“a scribal sign used to mark doubtful or spurious passages”
Medieval Latin
Lat
obelus
“a symbol used by scholars and copyists for textual criticism”
16th Century
English
obelus
“a critical mark in printed texts”
Modern English
English
obelus
“a symbol such as ÷, or a mark used in editing to indicate doubt or deletion”