square bracket

American  

[skwair brak-it] / ˈskwɛər ˌbræk ɪt /

noun

1. Printing. one of two marks [ or ] used in writing or printing to enclose parenthetical matter, interpolations, etc.

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square bracket British  

noun

1. either of a pair of characters [ ], used to enclose a section of writing or printing to separate it from the main text

2. Also called: bracket.  either of these characters used as a sign of aggregation in mathematical or logical expressions indicating that the expression contained in the brackets is to be evaluated first and treated as a unit in the evaluation of the whole

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Etymology

Origin of square bracket

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

Remember that, when writing or reading interval notation, using a square bracket means the boundary is included in the set.

From Textbooks • Feb. 13, 2015

Transcriber's Note: In the original book, the numbers of the entries below are at the end of the entry at the right margin, preceded by a single square bracket.

From Shakespearean Playhouses A History of English Theatres from the Beginnings to the Restoration by Adams, Joseph Quincy