Less-Than with Circle Inside ⩹

⩹ (U+2A79) 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 with Circle Inside is part of the Symbols family (block: Supplemental 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 character LESS-THAN WITH CIRCLE INSIDE has the code point U+2A79 in the Supplemental Mathematical Operators block. It belongs to the Common script and is used in math notation. This symbol is a mathematical operator. It expresses a relation that is more specific than a simple less-than sign. In practice, it appears in formulas where a comparison must be shown with an additional circle, signaling a special condition or limitation. The symbol helps distinguish a relation that is not plain less-than, but a restricted or modified form. It is part of standard sets used for math writing, user interfaces, and documentation when a nuanced comparison is needed. This usage aligns with general guidance that common math symbols indicate operations or comparisons in formulas and user interfaces. Readers may see it in technical texts, calculators, or software where precise relational meaning matters. As a result, the symbol communicates a tailored relationship without expanding the basic idea of less-than. It stays a specialized operator for advanced mathematical and technical material.

Copy and input: the quickest method is to copy the character here. You can also insert it by its codepoint U+2A79 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.