Understanding interpuncts

What are interpuncts?

Interpuncts, which can also be called middle dots or interpoints, are punctuation marks that appear as vertically centered points in a sentence as shown here ( · ). The use of interpuncts traces back to ancient Greek writing as a way to write commas. They were also commonly used in ancient Latin as a way to separate words in a sentence. Today, languages like Japanese, Chinese, and Korean still occasionally use interpuncts to add spacing in their sentences.

Are interpuncts still used in modern English?

For the most part, the interpunct has largely fallen out of common use in modern English writing. However, there are still a few rare occasions where you might see an interpunct in the wild. Here are some places you may find these punctuation marks in:

Branding purposes

An interpunct might be used in certain cases of personal or company names. They are also often used in brand names that are written as abbreviations. Companies, brands, and entertainment entities can use interpuncts in their names to separate letters or words. A famous example of this is the television show Friends, which is notably written as “F·R·I·E·N·D·S” at the start of each episode.

Separating syllables in a word

In some educational materials, especially those designed for language learners, interpuncts might be used in syllabification, or to separate syllables in words to help with pronunciation. Interpuncts that separate syllables are often called hyphenation points. Some dictionaries, particularly Merriam-Webster, include hyphenation points in the word before the definition.

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Math

Interpuncts also come in handy when writing certain math problems. You can use an interpunct in a multiplication problem (like 2 · 4 = 8). And, if you are writing a math problem in British English, you can also use an interpunct to write a decimal point. This type of interpunct is called a space dot.

Stylistic choices in writing

If you ever see an interpunct in writing, it is likely used as a stylistic choice rather than a standard punctuation practice. You may occasionally see them used in the place of hyphens or dashes in a sentence. However, since the use of interpuncts is not widespread, and other punctuation marks like hyphens or periods are more commonly accepted. If you are adhering to a certain writing style guide, it may be helpful to check if they recognize the use of it.

How to insert an interpunct in Word

The way to type out an interpunct is different for each software. If you are using Microsoft Word, you can go to Insert > Symbol > More Symbols and scroll down to find the interpunct symbol. To save time, you can also use the keyboard shortcut Alt + 0183.

Get more practice with punctuation

Although interpuncts aren’t used as often anymore, it can still be fun to learn about them or find ways to incorporate them in creative designs. But when it comes to writing, it’s best to focus on conventional punctuation rules and utilize commas, periods, hyphens, and other accepted marks to convey meaning and structure. Browse our writing tips to learn more about grammar and punctuation rules.