ampersand

[ am-per-sand, am-per-sand ]

/ ˈæm pərˌsænd, ˌæm pərˈsænd /

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noun

a character or symbol (& or ) for and: Smith & Jones, Inc.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of ampersand

1820–30; contraction of and per se and literally, (the symbol) & by itself (stands for) and; see per se

Words nearby ampersand

ampere-hour, Ampère's law, ampere-turn, amperometric, amperometric titration, ampersand, amphetamine, amphi-, Amphiaraus, amphiarthrosis, amphiaster

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use ampersand in a sentence

Special characters like the ampersand or “&” and numbers are best suited for your page title tag or header tag.
Five hacks to enhance your organic CTR and rankings in SERPs|Karl Tablante|January 27, 2021|Search Engine Watch
And he devotes an entire chapter to the beauties of the ampersand.
Mad About Fonts|Malcolm Jones|October 4, 2011|DAILY BEAST
We landed on a sand beach at the mouth of a little stream, where a blazed tree marked the beginning of the Ampersand trail.
Little Rivers|Henry van Dyke
Ampersand, falling short by a thousand feet of the needful height, cannot claim this distinction.
Little Rivers|Henry van Dyke

I set my instrument for Ampersand Pond, sighted the picture through the ground glass, and measured the focus.
Little Rivers|Henry van Dyke
In 1878, when I spent three weeks at Ampersand, the cabin was in ruins, and surrounded by an almost impenetrable growth of bushes.
Little Rivers|Henry van Dyke
The m of the curious word ampersand, variously spelt, is due to the neighbouring p.
The Romance of Words (4th ed.)|Ernest Weekley

British Dictionary definitions for ampersand

ampersand

/ (ˈæmpəˌsænd) /

noun

the character (&), meaning andJohn Brown & Co

Word Origin for ampersand

C19: shortened from and per se and, that is, the symbol & by itself (represents) and

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for ampersand

ampersand

[ (am-puhr-sand) ]

A symbol (see also symbol) for and (), as in Dun Bradstreet.