Mathematical Left Angle Bracket ⟨
Usage snapshot:
- Used in content written with the Common script; suitable for UI labels and body text.
- Appears in the Unicode block Miscellaneous Mathematical Symbols-A.
History & usage: The character depicts the MATHEMATICAL LEFT ANGLE BRACKET. In its name, the words signal a structural element rather than a sound. Functional tokens such as MATHEMATICAL and LEFT ANGLE BRACKET indicate a bracket-like symbol used to enclose or compare expressions, while terms implying a directional or opening element mark its role in notation. Shape or qualifier cues are not specified here, but such tokens generally guide typography to show orientation and grouping in formulas. 2–3 realistic use cases follow. In scholarly editions and educational grammars, editors use this symbol to mark the left boundary of angle-based constructs and to illustrate bracket conventions in notation tables. In dictionaries and primers, it appears in sections on mathematical symbols to teach readers how to enter, compare, or annotate angled delimiters. In calculators, formula editors, or quick UI controls, it helps operators designate left-leaning grouping or comparisons within expressions inside the Miscellaneous Mathematical Symbols-A block. If extended usage exists, it would frame it as a historical variant, though this entry remains standard. Cross‑platform rendering is generally consistent, and assistive technology can announce it as a bracket element for accessibility.
See our category page for related symbols.
Look‑alikes: ❬ (U+276C).
Need styled alternatives? Try the Fancy Text tool.
Confusables
Technical details
- Codepoint:
U+27E8 - General Category:
Ps - Age:
3.2 - Bidi Class:
ON - Block:
Miscellaneous Mathematical Symbols-A - Script:
Common - UTF-8:
E2 9F A8 - UTF-16:
27E8 - UTF-32:
000027E8 - HTML dec:
⟨ - HTML hex:
⟨ - JS escape:
\u27E8 - Python \N{}:
\N{MATHEMATICAL LEFT ANGLE BRACKET} - Python \u:
\u27E8 - Python \U:
\U000027E8 - URL-encoded:
%E2%9F%A8 - CSS escape:
\27E8
How to type / insert
Fast copy: click the Copy button near the top of this page.
By codepoint: in many editors and IDEs, you can insert via the Unicode code U+27E8 or a built‑in character picker.
HTML: use the numeric entity ⟨ (hex) or ⟨ (decimal) when an HTML entity is needed.
Compatibility & troubleshooting
Font support: if the symbol does not render, the current font likely lacks this codepoint. Choose a font with broad Unicode coverage or allow a fallback font.
Web pages: ensure your CSS font stack includes a general fallback; avoid relying on images for common symbols to preserve accessibility and copyability.