Mathematical Bold Italic Capital L 𝑳

Visual Description: The symbol appears as a bold, italic capital L. It tilts to the right with thick, clean strokes. The shape stands out on a page or screen, clearly different from plain text. In mathematical layouts, it signals a distinct quantity or a labeled variable.

Meaning & Usage: The character is used to denote a variable, a vector, or a specific quantity, depending on the author. In bold italic form, it stands out from regular letters and signals a mathematical object. It often appears as L for length, or as a label in formulas.

Historical Background: The bold italic style grew from typographic traditions that separate mathematical notation from body text. Writers adopted bold and slant to show emphasis and to distinguish variables, vectors, and constants. Over time, digital fonts carried these weights as standard math alphabets, helping readers parse complex equations.

Practical Use: In formulas, this glyph helps indicate a specific quantity within a larger equation. Calculators and math editors may offer font options to apply bold italic styling or to toggle a vector mode. Quick UI controls let you compare L values, compute relations, or switch notation in a pane.

See our category page for related symbols.

Look‑alikes: L (U+4C).

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