Virgule
/ˈvɜːrɡjuːl/noun
A punctuation mark shaped like a slanted stroke (/), used historically to separate lines or clauses and now often called a slash.
Did you know?Medieval scribes used the virgule as a visual pause in manuscripts, making it an ancestor of several modern punctuation practices.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*werǵ-
“To do or make; the reconstructed root associated with productive action and work”
Ancient Greek
Greek
érgon
“Work, deed, or task”
Classical Latin
Latin
virga
“A rod, staff, branch, or slender twig”
Late Latin
Latin
virgula
“A little rod or twig; also a small stroke or mark in writing”
13th–14th Century
Old French
virgule
“A small stroke used as a punctuation mark”
16th Century onward
English
virgule
“A slanting punctuation stroke, later commonly called a slash”