Mathematical Bold Italic Small A 𝒂

Visual Description: The character is a small letter a rendered in a bold italic style. It has thick strokes, a distinct slant, and rounded bowls. In print and on screens it appears darker and wider than a regular italic a. The shape stands out in math formulas and notes.

Meaning & Usage: In mathematics, bold italic variables indicate emphasis or a distinct type of quantity. The symbol a is treated as a symbol, not a normal identifier, and is used in formulas to avoid confusion with constants. Software preserves the style to aid quick comprehension and notes.

Historical Background: This style is part of a broad family of math alphabets used in typesetting and digital fonts. It grew from typographic practice that distinguishes variable names from constants without changing the base letter. In software and fonts, bold italic variants support consistent math notation across devices.

Practical Use: In calculators and math apps, bold italic a helps track variables in a long formula. Quick UI controls can switch styles, compare values, or highlight certain terms. When you see it in a list, it signals a variable rather than a constant, improving readability and workflow.

See our category page for related symbols.

Look‑alikes: a (U+61).

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