What ≏ means
It can mean approximate equality. The sign sets no tolerance; consult the writer’s definition.
In 1835, Giusto Bellavitis used ≏ for equipollence: directed segments of equal length and direction. Its shape evokes Libra’s scales, suggesting equivalence rather than identity.
Specialist mathematical notation.
The sign gives no fixed tolerance; follow the writer’s definition.
What it means when someone sends it to you
2 readingsBetween numerical expressions
May mean approximate equality; the writer sets the tolerance.
Between directed segments
Bellavitis’s equipollence: same length and direction.
Don't confuse it with
2Questions 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 ≏
Windows (Word)
Alt+XType 224F, then Alt+X to get ≏.
Windows
Win+Rrun charmap for the full table, or use the emoji picker's Ω symbols tab (Win + .).
macOS
Control+Command+SpaceOpen the character viewer and search “difference between”.
Linux
Ctrl+Shift+UType 224f, then Enter or Space.
HTML
≏CSS
\224FLaTeX
Use `\bumpeq` with the `amssymb` package.
MathML entity
Use `≏`; `≏` is its alias.
Codes and encoding1 code points
HTML decimal
≏
HTML hex
≏
CSS content
content: "\224F";
Each escape is closed by the next backslash; a trailing space is needed before a literal hex digit.
URL encoded
%E2%89%8F
1
On screen
1
Code points
1
JS .length
3
UTF-8 bytes
A visible symbol can contain several code points. JS .length counts UTF-16 units; UTF-8 counts bytes.