ſ

See also: ⌠ [U+2320 TOP HALF INTEGRAL], ∫ [U+222B INTEGRAL], ʃ [U+0283 LATIN SMALL LETTER ESH], ẛ [U+1E9B LATIN SMALL LETTER LONG S WITH DOT ABOVE], ꞅ [U+A785 LATIN SMALL LETTER INSULAR S], and Appendix:Variations of "s"

Translingual

Proper use of the long s is demonstrated by the words Bürgerſaal and Ratsſäle on a German sign, but incorrect use can be seen in the third word, Trausaal, causing it to be parsed as ‘Trausaal’.

Letter

ſ (upper case S)

1. (obsolete or archaic) The long s, a form of the letter ess (S).

Derived terms

• ẞ, ß
• ſt (ſt)

Related terms

• long s
• short s

See also

• (Latin-script letters) letter; A a, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u, V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z

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English

Letter

ſ (lower case, upper case S, plural ſs or ſ's)

1. (archaic) The nineteenth letter of the English alphabet, called long s, medial s, or descending s and written in the Latin script.
   • 1783, Joseph Ritson, Remarks, Critical and Illustrative, on the Text and Notes of the Last Edition of Shakspeare, page 223:

     But he does not ſtab him for his treachery toward hisſelf […]

   • 1785, Vicesimus Knox, Liberal Education: Or, a Practical Treatiſe on the Methods of Acquiring Uſeful and Polite Learning, vol. II, pp. 1 & 3, section XXXI: On the regulation of puerile diverſions:

     Many fanciful methods have been invented by thoſe who wiſhed to render puerile ſports conducive to improvement. I never found that they were ſucceſsful.

     I muſt own myſelf an advocate for puerile liberty*, during the alloted hours of relaxation. Boys have much reſtraint and confinement in the time of ſtudy.

     Thoſe of the effeminate kind ſuperinduce effeminacy; weakneſs of mind, no leſs than imbecility of body. Something ſimilar happens in puerile diverſions. The boy who has been kept in leading-ſtrings too long, and reſtrained from hardy ſports by the fondneſs of his mother, will ſcarcely ever become a man; or poſſeſs that becoming ſpirit which can enable him to act his part with propriety.

   • 1796, John Hatsell, Precedents of Proceedings in the House of Commons: With Observations, page 102:

     75. On the 11th of May, 1759, the Lords amend a turnpike road Bill, by inſerting a clauſe, “That no gate ſhall be erected within a mile of Enſham Ferry”. The conſideration of this amendment is reſolved, nemine contradicente, to be put off for a month.

Usage notes

The long, medial, or descending s, as distinct from the short or terminal s. In Roman script, the long S was used everywhere except at the end of words, where the short S was used, and with the exception of derivatives as for example hisſelf (his + -ſelf), ſucceſsful (ſucceſs + -ful). The distinction occurred only in minuscule (lowercase); a single majuscule (uppercase) form, S, was used regardless of word-position. In Fraktur script, the long S is used at the beginning of a word as well, as long as the word is not capitalized.

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Middle French

Letter

ſ

1. typographical variant of s, typically used for all instances except a final -s