Home / Casual / What is the dot above the letter i and j called?
What is the dot above the letter i and j called?
Tittle
The small distinguishing mark you see over a lowercase i and a lowercase j is called a tittle – an interesting name that seems like a combination of “tiny” and “little,” and refers to a small point or stroke in writing and printing. Derived from the Latin word titulus, meaning “inscription, heading,” the tittle initially appeared in Latin manuscripts beginning in the 11th century as a way of individualizing the neighboring letters i and j. With the introduction of the Roman-style typeface in the late 1400's, the original large mark was reduced to the small dot we use today.
Favorite this Trivia.
In order to be able to favorite the trivias you find most interesting, you need to have an account. Favoriting a trivia means you are also bookmarking it and have it available on your profile.
Report a trivia answer.
We are sorry that you feel the need to report one of our answers. Please, tell us more regarding this problem.