!

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 Translingual 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Symbol 1.2.1 Translations 1.3 Usage notes 1.3.1 Derived symbols 1.3.2 Related symbols 1.3.3 Translations 1.4 References

[edit] Translingual

[edit] Etymology

! may derive from a Latin Io, with the I written over the o, placed at the end of an exclamation to mark it as such. The Io may either be an abbreviation for interiectiō "interjection", or else the interjection Iō "hey!".^[1]

[edit] Symbol

!

1. A symbol used to denote excitement, surprise or shock.

   Run for your lives!

2. (computing) In most computing contexts, it represents a Boolean not.

   if !x

   "if not x"

3. (computing) In e-mail messaging, it represents a separator for an e-mail address.
4. (mathematics) factorial

   5! = 5 × 4 × 3 × 2 × 1

   "five factorial equals…"

5. (chess) a good move

[edit] Translations

chess

• Russian: !, хороший ход, сильный ход

[edit] Usage notes

• Its name is variously exclamation mark, exclamation point or, in computing contexts, shriek, bang or pling

[edit] Derived symbols

• ¡ (inverted exclamation mark/point)
• !! (double exclamation mark/point)
• !? (exclamation and questioning)
• ‽ (interrobang)
• ⁈
• ⁉
• ﹗ (small exclamation mark/point)
• ❢ (dingbat)
• ❣ (dingbat)
• ！ (fullwidth)

[edit] Related symbols

Punctuation

apostrophe ( ' ) ( ’ ) brackets ( ( ) ) ( [ ] ) ( { } ) ( 〈 〉 ) colon ( : )

comma ( , ) dashes ( ‒ ) ( – ) ( — ) ( ― ) ellipsis ( … )

exclamation mark ( ! ) full stop/period ( . ) hyphen ( - ) ( ‐ )

interrobang ( ‽ ) question mark ( ? ) quotation marks ( ‘ ’ ) ( “ ” )

semicolon ( ; ) slash/solidus ( / ) ( ⁄ ) space (   ) interpunct ( · )

[edit] Translations

• Armenian: ՜
• Limbu: ᥄

[edit] References

• Notes:

1. ^ Alexander Humez, 1987, A B C et cetera: the life & times of the Roman alphabet