virgule

[ vur-gyool ]
/ ˈvɜr gyul /

noun

a short oblique stroke (/) between two words indicating that whichever is appropriate may be chosen to complete the sense of the text in which they occur: The defendant and his/her attorney must appear in court.
a dividing line, as in dates, fractions, a run-in passage of poetry to show verse division, etc.: 3/21/27; “Sweetest love, I do not go/For weariness of thee.” (John Donne)
a short oblique stroke (/) used in computing; a forward slash.
Also called diagonal, separatrix, shilling mark, slant, slash, solidus; especially British stroke.

Origin of virgule

1830–40; < French virgule comma, little rod < Latin virgula; see virgulate

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH virgule

backslash forward slash virgule

Words nearby virgule

virgo, virgo cluster, virgo intacta, virgoan, virgulate, virgule, viricide, virid, viridescent, viridian, viridity

Example sentences from the Web for virgule

British Dictionary definitions for virgule

virgule
/ (ˈvɜːɡjuːl) /

noun

printing another name for solidus

Word Origin for virgule

C19: from French: comma, from Latin virgula a little rod, from virga rod