Less-Than or Greater-Than ≶

≶ (U+2276) is a standard Unicode character that you can copy and paste anywhere text is accepted. This page provides a concise reference with safe tips, internal links, and practical guidance so you can use it reliably across apps and platforms.

What it is and where it’s used: Less-Than or Greater-Than is part of the Symbols family (block: Mathematical Operators). If you need styled or decorative alternatives, try our Fancy Text tool to generate compatible text that works in most modern interfaces.

History & usage: The LESS-THAN OR GREATER-THAN symbol is a common math symbol in the set of Mathematical Operators. Its code point is U+2276 and it appears in many fonts used for math and logic. In practice, this character represents a comparison between values. It can stand for an operation that checks if one value is smaller or larger than another. In formulas, it helps express relationships between quantities. In user interfaces, it guides sorting and filtering tasks. The symbol often appears in calculators, spreadsheets, and programming environments where comparisons matter. It is part of a family of operators that includes < and >, which are used to show standard less-than and greater-than relations in plain text. When the combined operator is shown as a single glyph, it signals a broader idea of comparison beyond a simple scale. Users rely on this symbol to understand order, thresholds, and rules. Its history ties to mathematical notation that seeks concise ways to state relationships. Overall, it helps convey essential differences quickly in tools and formulas.

Copy and input: the quickest method is to copy the character here. You can also insert it by its codepoint U+2276 in many development tools or editors. Some operating systems provide a character viewer or input palette that lets you search by name or code and insert the glyph into documents.

Display and fallback: if you see an empty box (tofu) or a placeholder rectangle, the active font might not include this codepoint. Switching to a font with broader Unicode coverage or using a fallback font usually fixes the issue. On the web, ensure the page’s font stack includes a general‑purpose fallback.

Related references: browse the Categories for similar characters. When choosing a symbol, prefer the official codepoint for semantic clarity and better compatibility with search, copy, and accessibility tooling.

See our category page for related symbols.