What ⁁ means
It points to the exact spot needing an addition.
Write the missing letter, word, or punctuation in the margin or above the line.
The English word “caret” for this meaning is recorded from 1681; it comes from Latin for “it is lacking.” Proofreader’s marks date to the early days of printing.
What does “caret” mean in a text editor?
In software, it can mean the blinking typing cursor.
As of 2025, web documentation uses the word for the cursor showing where new typing will go; ⁁ instead marks an insertion into existing text.
Its natural setting is proofreading and text editing.
Don't confuse it with
1Questions people ask
1Why does ⁁ show as a box on some devices?
Because that device's fonts have no glyph for it. The character is still correct and still copies correctly — the box is a missing glyph, not a broken character.
How to type ⁁
⁁\2041Codes and encoding1 code points
A visible symbol can contain several code points. JS .length counts UTF-16 units; UTF-8 counts bytes.