Section Symbol (§) Guide

Your complete reference for the section mark symbol

Copy Section Symbol

§

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Names & Alternative Terms

  • Section Symbol (§) - The most common name in English
  • Section Mark/Sign - Alternative English terms
  • Signum Sectionis - Original Latin term
  • Double S - Reference to its visual appearance
  • Sectional Symbol - Used in academic contexts
  • Legal Section Symbol - Common in law practice
  • Silcrow - Historical alternative name
  • Paragraphos - Ancient Greek origin term

International Names

  • Paragraphe (French)
  • Párrafo (Spanish)
  • Paragrafen (German)
  • Paragraafteken (Dutch)

Section Symbol Codes

HTML Codes

  • § - HTML entity
  • § - Decimal reference
  • § - Hexadecimal reference

Unicode

  • U+00A7 - Unicode code point
  • 0xA7 - Hexadecimal
  • 167 - Decimal

How to Type the Section Symbol

Windows

  • Alt Code: Alt + 0167 (using numeric keypad)
  • Character Map: Windows + R, type "charmap", press Enter
  • Word/Office: Alt + Ctrl + Shift + S

Mac

  • Keyboard Shortcut: Option + 6
  • Character Viewer: Control + Command + Space
  • Office for Mac: Option + Command + S

Mobile Devices

  • iOS: Press and hold & to see special characters
  • Android: Long press ? for additional symbols
  • Symbols Keyboard: Switch to symbols keyboard

Usage Guide

Legal Citations

  • Single section: Use § (e.g., "§ 1.2 of the contract")
  • Multiple sections: Use §§ (e.g., "§§ 4-6 cover liability")
  • No space between §§ and numbers (e.g., "§§4-6")
  • Used in statutes, regulations, and legal documents

Academic Writing

  • Cross-references within documents
  • Citing specific sections of referenced works
  • Organizing hierarchical document structures

Style Guidelines

  • Always use a space after the symbol
  • Can be used with or without parentheses
  • Commonly paired with paragraph symbol (¶)
  • Used in both print and digital documents

History & Evolution

Ancient Origins

The section symbol evolved from the ancient Greek paragraphos, a mark used to separate text sections. Medieval scribes developed it into its current form, likely derived from the digraph of two S's (from the Latin "signum sectionis" meaning "sign of the section").

Medieval Development

  • Used by medieval scribes to mark manuscript divisions
  • Evolved alongside other legal and scholarly symbols
  • Standardized during the Renaissance period
  • Became essential in legal documentation

Modern Usage

Today, the section symbol is widely used in:

  • Legal documents and citations
  • Academic writing and publications
  • Technical documentation
  • Digital content organization
  • International legal systems

Variations & Related Symbols

Related Legal Symbols

  • - Paragraph symbol (pilcrow)
  • † - Dagger (for footnotes)
  • ‡ - Double dagger
  • ※ - Reference mark

Typography

The section symbol appears differently in various fonts and styles, but always maintains its distinctive double-curve shape. Some variations include:

  • Bold: §
  • Italic: §
  • Different font interpretations
  • Historical manuscript variations