{ } (English symbol name curly brackets or braces)
- (mathematics) Encloses a mathematical phrase which has increased operator precedence.
- Synonyms: ( ), [ ]
- 10/2+3 = 5+3 = 8
- 10/{2+3} = 10/5 = 2
- (mathematics) Indicates the fractional part.
- {3.14} = 0.14
- (set theory) Encloses a set.
- Set of positive divisors of 6 = {1, 2, 3}.
- The set of even numbers can be written as { n ∊ ℤ : ∃ k ∊ ℤ: n = 2k } .
- (set theory) Empty set.
- Set of natural numbers between 2 and 3 = { }.
- Alternative form: {}
- Synonym: ∅
- (programming) Used in some programming languages, especially C-type languages.
- Encloses the body of a function.
doSomethingTwice () { return doSomething () + doSomething () }
- Encloses each branch of a conditional.
if (x>4) { result = "congratulations!" }
{ }
- Encloses a series of equal choices.
- Select your animal {goat, sheep, cow, horse} and follow me.
- (phonology) Encloses morphophonemic transcription; especially when presented as sets of phonemes rather than as single symbols for archiphonemes.
- Synonyms: ⫽ ⫽, | |, ‖ ‖
- Coordinate terms: / /, [ ], ⟨ ⟩, ⸢ ⸣, ! !, \ \
- We can write la{t,d}er for the conflated pronunciation of ladder and latter in American English. This may instead be written ⫽laDer⫽, where ⫽D⫽ is the archiphoneme {t, d}, or with both conventions for {laDer}.
- (phonetics) Sets off VoQS notation.
- (papyrology, epigraphy) Encloses writing by the original scribe that the editor considers erroneous.
