×
Multiplication Sign
- Unicode
- U+00D7
- Category
- Math
- HTML Entity
- ×
- CSS
- \00D7
The multiplication sign (×) is a mathematical symbol primarily used to denote the operation of multiplication, such as in '3 × 4 = 12'. Originally introduced by mathematician William Oughtred in 1631, it is geometrically symmetrical to clearly distinguish it from the lowercase letter 'x'. Beyond math equations, this symbol frequently appears in typography to indicate dimensions, screen resolutions, or biological hybrid crosses.
How to Type
- Windows
- Alt+0215
- macOS
- Control+Command+Space then search 'multiplication'
- Linux
- Compose + x + x
- HTML
- × or ×
In Programming
While standard in formal typography, the multiplication sign is rarely used for math in programming languages, which overwhelmingly favor the asterisk (*) to avoid syntax errors. It is frequently used in web development as an HTML entity (×) to render 'close' or 'dismiss' buttons in user interfaces.
Tags
William Oughtred
arithmetic
biological cross
by symbol
close button symbol
cross
cross symbol
delete symbol
dimensions symbol
mathematics
multiply
screen resolution
times
times sign
times symbol