Computer Keyboard Terminology

=== by Bob Sutherland ===

Page 6 of 7

Do you know the names of the keys on your computer keyboard? This web page lists many of the math, business and other symbols found on computer keyboard keys.

Math, Business and other Symbols

A computer key marked with a tilde. ~ Tilde.

A computer key marked with a grave accent. ` Grave accent; Backquote.

A computer key marked with a retail AT sign. @ Retail AT sign.

A computer key marked with a number sign. # Number sign; Hash; Pound key on a telephone. English North Americans have traditionally called this symbol a number sign and use it in front of numbers. Europeans use the abbreviation No. in front of numbers. Europeans call this symbol a hash. The popularity of Twitter, a social media network, has spread the terms hash and hash tag to North America as part of the program's terminology.

A computer key marked with a dollar sign. $ Dollar sign.

A computer key marked with a percent sign. % Percent sign.

A computer key marked with a caret. ^ Caret; Circumflex accent.

A computer key marked with an ampersand. & Ampersand.

A computer key marked with an asterisk. * Asterisk; Star key on a telephone; Multiplication sign on a computer.

A computer key marked with an underscore. _ Underscore.

A computer key marked with a hyphen. - Hyphen; Dash; Minus sign (subtraction).

A computer key marked with a plus sign. + Plus sign (addition).

A computer key marked with an equals sign, = Equals sign.

A computer key marked with a vertical line. A computer key marked with a broken broken vertical line. | Pipe; Vertical bar; Vertical line; Broken pipe; Broken bar.

A computer key marked with a less than sign. < Less than sign.

A computer key marked with a greater than sign. > Greater than sign.

A computer key marked with a forward leaning diagonal line. / Diagonal; Slash; Forward slash; Division sign on a computer; Solidus.

A computer key marked with a backward leaning diagonal line. \ Backslash; Reverse solidus.

British Keyboard Symbols

I have read that English keyboards used in Europe have keys with these symbols marked on them. In North America I have to use modifier keys to create these symbols.

A computer key marked with a British pound currency symbol. £ British Pound currency symbol.

A computer key marked with an European Euro currency symbol. € European Euro currency symbol.

A computer key marked with a plus minus sign. ± Plus minus sign.

A computer key marked with an European not sign. ¬ Not sign. A symbol used in Europe but not North America.

A computer key marked with a section sign. § Section sign.