The ≭ (Not Equivalent To) Symbol: Meaning, Math, and Typing Guide
The ≭ (Not Equivalent To) symbol, found at Unicode code point U+226D, is a mathematical operator used to show that two expressions, values, or geometric figures do not share a specific mathematical equivalence. Visually, it features the standard "equivalent to" sign (≍) crossed out with a diagonal slash, universally signaling a negative relationship.
Equivalence is a foundational concept in advanced mathematics, and it is distinct from strict equality. While an equal sign means two items are exactly the same, an equivalence sign means they share a certain defining property—like two triangles with the same area, or numbers in modular arithmetic. The ≭ symbol evolved naturally from the need to express the failure of this relationship. Striking a diagonal line through a symbol is the standard mathematical shorthand for "not," a visual convention popularized by mathematicians over centuries to create clear, readable formulas.
In the Unicode Standard, ≭ sits comfortably within the Mathematical Operators block, which ranges from U+2200 to U+22FF. Its official code point is U+226D. Because it is a specialized mathematical glyph, its appearance can vary slightly depending on the font you use. In some typefaces, the base equivalence lines appear completely flat, while in others they may carry a subtle curve. Regardless of the font styling, the negating slash remains the defining feature.
You will mostly spot ≭ in high-level math, logic, and physics contexts. It is used to explicitly state that a logical equivalence fails, or that two matrices do not share similar properties. Unlike the popular ≠ (Not Equal To) sign, which simply means two things have different literal values, ≭ tells a deeper story about the structural relationship between complex mathematical objects. While it rarely makes an appearance in casual social media text, programmers and data scientists often use it in technical documentation. Languages and formatting systems like LaTeX allow users to render it easily for precise academic papers.
Typing the ≭ symbol on a standard keyboard requires a few shortcuts. On Windows, you can type 226D followed by Alt + X in applications like Microsoft Word. Mac users can find it by pressing Control + Command + Space to bring up the Character Viewer and searching for "not equivalent". For web developers, the HTML entity ≭ or ≭ will perfectly render the symbol on a webpage. For everyday use, copying and pasting from a symbol library is usually the fastest method.
It is easy to confuse ≭ with its close mathematical siblings. The ≠ (Not Equal To) symbol is much more common for basic arithmetic negation. The ≢ (Not Identical To) symbol features three straight horizontal lines with a slash and is heavily used in modular arithmetic. Finally, removing the slash gives you ≍ (Equivalent To), which is the exact opposite of ≭.