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. 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

“The comma doesn’t seem to come from the diple but from the virgule, the slash,” Houston said.

From Washington Post

They lowered the virgule and curved it, for a start, so that it began to look like the modern comma.

From Literature

She is of course well aware That I am watching, so finally makes the V of the Roman Five, with a virgule before.

From Project Gutenberg

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

From Project Gutenberg