Mathematical Bold Italic Small B 𝒃

Visual Description: A small letter b appears in a bold italic style. It looks thicker than a regular letter and tilts to the right. The curves stay clear and smooth. In math, this form stands out among ordinary letters. It is designed to catch the eye in formulas and notes. It resembles a vector symbol in prints.

Meaning & Usage: The bold italic b marks a variable or a vector in many math contexts. It helps distinguish this symbol from plain numbers. In notes, this style signals direction or magnitude when used as a vector. It also appears in formulas to denote a specific quantity. When reading, the style hints at importance or type of object.

Historical Background: Typographic styles evolved to separate ideas in math. Italic letters were used for variables, while bold styles added emphasis for vectors or special quantities. Bold italic letters combine both features. Modern printing and digital fonts make them easy to apply in textbooks and software. The change followed practical needs rather than a single moment.

Practical Use: In calculators and math editors you can apply bold italic to emphasize b in equations. Use it for vectors, coefficients, or comparisons to stand out. Quick UI controls let you switch styles or apply templates to whole formulas. For example, write |b| for magnitude, or b · c for a dot product.

See our category page for related symbols.

Look‑alikes: b (U+62).

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