Mathematical Bold Italic Small Q 𝒒

Visual Description: The character appears as a lowercase q with a bold weight and an italic tilt. The strokes are thick and the tail curves slightly. It sits on a standard baseline in most fonts. In math text it stands out from plain letters. The look signals emphasis and a distinct style in equations.

Meaning & Usage: It marks a variable, often a quantity or parameter, in equations. Bold italic suggests a vector or a stressed symbol in many style guides. It is used to denote a quantity that can vary or be compared. Writers use q to stand for an unknown or a specific case.

Historical Background: Typography for mathematics moved toward clear symbol differentiation. Bold italic variants emerged to separate variables from text and to convey emphasis in dense formulas. The approach spread with print and later digital fonts, helping readers scan equations quickly. The goal is legibility and consistent meaning across contexts.

Practical Use: In formulas, calculators, and math editors, bold italic q helps distinguish a variable from constants. It supports quick UI controls for operations or comparisons by visually grouping quantities. Toolbars may offer q as a selectable symbol to insert into a formula or to switch between modes.

See our category page for related symbols.

Look‑alikes: q (U+71).

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