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ɜ

Latin Small Letter Reversed Open E Letter

ɜ is the Latin small letter reversed open e, useful for phonetic and typographic notation.

U+025C

ɜ (Unicode U+025C) is a Latin Extended character. It’s commonly used in writing systems and phonetic-style text where a specific vowel-like glyph is needed.

Latin Small Letter Reversed Open E Letter Meaning

ɜ is the Unicode character “LATIN SMALL LETTER REVERSED OPEN E” (U+025C). The glyph is often used in phonetic and linguistic contexts to represent a particular vowel sound or transcription detail. Because it’s a dedicated Unicode letter (not a plain Latin “e”), it helps keep text consistent across fonts, browsers, and platforms when you need that exact shape. Beyond transcription, designers and editors may use ɜ for typographic variety or for labels, identifiers, and UI text that calls for a distinctive character from the Latin Extended set.

Common uses

  • •Phonetic transcription in linguistics notes and dictionaries
  • •Text labeling for pronunciation guides or IPA-adjacent content
  • •Typography and font testing for Latin Extended coverage
  • •Creating consistent identifiers in research documents and datasets
  • •Editorial use when a specific vowel-like glyph is required

Examples

ɜ Reversed Open E (Latin Small Letter)

  • ɜThe transcription uses ɜ to mark a specific mid/open vowel.
  • ɜIn the table, ɜ appears in column two for contrast.
  • ɜShe wrote: “ɜ is not the same as e.”
  • ɜThe speaker’s guide includes ɜ for the target sound.
  • ɜFont preview: compare how ɜ renders across styles.

Variations

Technical codes

UnicodeU+025C
HTML Entityɜ
HTML Codeɜ
CSS\025C
Alt CodeAlt + 604
Decimal604

How to type Latin Small Letter Reversed Open E Letter (ɜ)

On Windows

Hold Alt and type 604 on the numeric keypad. In Word, type 025C then press Alt + X.

On Mac

Switch to the Unicode Hex Input keyboard, then hold Option and type 025C. Or press Control + Command + Space and search.

On Linux

Press Control + Shift + U, type 025c, then press Enter or Space.

Anywhere

Copy ɜ with the button above and paste it wherever you need it — this works on every device and in every app, with no keyboard shortcut to remember.

FAQ

What does the Latin Small Letter Reversed Open E letter mean?

ɜ is the Unicode character “LATIN SMALL LETTER REVERSED OPEN E” (U+025C). The glyph is often used in phonetic and linguistic contexts to represent a particular vowel sound or transcription detail. Because it’s a dedicated Unicode letter (not a plain Latin “e”), it helps keep text consistent across fonts, browsers, and platforms when you need that exact shape. Beyond transcription, designers and editors may use ɜ for typographic variety or for labels, identifiers, and UI text that calls for a distinctive character from the Latin Extended set.

What Unicode character is ɜ?

ɜ is “LATIN SMALL LETTER REVERSED OPEN E” with Unicode code point U+025C.

How can I copy ɜ reliably?

Copy the character directly from this page, or use the provided code escapes (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) to insert it consistently.

What is ɜ commonly used for?

It’s most often used in phonetic-style transcription and linguistic writing where that specific vowel-like glyph is needed.

Will ɜ look the same on all devices?

Appearance depends on the font and available glyphs, but using Unicode U+025C helps ensure the correct character is selected across systems.