virgule

[ vur-gyool ]

noun

1. 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.

2. 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)

3. a short oblique stroke (/) used in computing; a forward slash.

virgule

/ ˈvɜːɡjuːl /

noun

1. See solidus
   printing another name for solidus

Word History and Origins

Origin of virgule¹

First recorded in 1830–40; from French virgule “comma, little rod,” from Latin virgula; virgulate

Word History and Origins

Origin of virgule¹

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

Example Sentences

He created the curved Virgule heel as a signature, to differentiate his work post-Dior.

From The Daily Beast

He may be known for the Virgule, but the feeling of his new exhibition more closely resembles an exclamation mark.

From The Daily Beast

His beard was trimmed to a moustache and virgule (now called imperial) and he carried a sword at his side and a cane in his hand.

From Project Gutenberg

Virgule, vėr′gūl, n. a little rod: a mark of punctuation, a comma.

From Project Gutenberg

He wore the tuft of beard called a virgule (a comma) and a moustache.

From Project Gutenberg

It was impracticable to reproduce the original punctuation, which mainly consisted of the virgule or slash.

From Project Gutenberg