em dash

See also: endash, en-dash, ⸺, and ⸻

English

Alternative forms

• em rule, emdash, em-dash, m dash, m-rule, mutton dash

Etymology

Named for its width, which is equal to the width of the letter m or M, or approximately twice the width of an en dash.

Noun

em dash (plural em dashes)

1. (typography) The symbol (—) (used to demarcate a parenthetical thought or to indicate a break, or for emphasis)

Usage notes

These symbols are often identical in appearance and can be used as quotation dashes:

• — (em dash)
• ― (horizontal bar)

Related terms

• en dash
• hyphen
• rule

Translations

typographical symbol '—'

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• Czech: dlouhá pomlčka f
• Dutch: heel kastlijntje n
• Finnish: m-viiva (fi), pitkä ajatusviiva
• French: tiret cadratin (fr) m
• German: Geviertstrich (de) m
• Greek: διπλή παύλα f (diplí pávla)
• Hungarian: kvirtmínusz (hu)
• Icelandic: þankastrik n
• Irish: eim-dais f
• Italian: lineetta emme f
• Macedonian: долга црта f (dolga crta)
• Persian: تمام‌خط (tamâm-xat)
• Polish: pauza (pl) f
• Portuguese: travessão (pt) m
• Russian: тире́ (ru) n (tirɛ́)
• Spanish: raya (es) f
• Swedish: långt tankstreck n, helfyrkantsminus n

Anagrams

• Hameds, mashed, shamed