obeli
Definition
Noun (plural form of obelus)
- A typographical symbol (†): a dagger-shaped mark used in ancient manuscripts to indicate a doubtful or spurious word or passage, or to reference a footnote or marginal note.
- A reference mark: in modern printing, an obelus (†) is used to direct the reader to a footnote or commentary, similar to an asterisk (*).
Usage Examples
- (The dagger symbols indicated uncertain text.)
- (The dagger-shaped marks highlight doubtful sections.)
- (A dagger symbol was used as the reference mark.)
Advanced Usage
"To mark with obeli": to designate text as suspect or requiring annotation.
- The editor carefully marked the manuscript with obeli to show interpolations. (The editor used dagger symbols to indicate added or doubtful content.)
"Obelus" vs. "obelisk": The singular obelus refers to the symbol itself (†), while obelisk is a separate term for a tall, four-sided stone pillar. In historical usage, obeli was sometimes used as a plural for obelisk, but this is now rare.
Variants and Related Words
Obelus (n, singular): the dagger symbol (†).
- The obelus was first used by the Greek scholar Aristarchus. (The dagger symbol originated in ancient textual criticism.)
Obelize (v): to mark (a word or passage) with an obelus, especially to indicate spuriousness.
- The scholar obelized several lines he considered forgeries. (He marked them with dagger symbols.)
Obelisk (n): a different word meaning a stone monument; unrelated in meaning to obelus despite shared etymology.
Synonyms
- Dagger: the common name for the symbol † in modern typography.
- Reference mark: a general term for symbols like asterisks or daggers used to indicate notes.
Related Idioms
Additional Notes
- Historical context: In ancient Greek and Latin manuscripts, (plural of ) were used by scholars like Aristarchus of Samothrace to mark lines they considered inauthentic or corrupt. The symbol † evolved from the Greek letter (Θ), the first letter of (death), symbolizing deletion.
- Modern usage: In dictionaries, may appear in etymological notes or critical editions of texts. They are distinct from asterisks (*) and are often used for footnotes when asterisks are already employed.