Horizontal Ellipsis Symbol
The horizontal ellipsis (…) indicates omitted text, a pause, or trailing continuation.
U+2026
The horizontal ellipsis is a punctuation character used when you want to imply continuation or an omission. It’s commonly seen in writing, UI text, and informal messages. Copy it easily using the HTML, CSS, or JavaScript escapes below.
Horizontal Ellipsis Symbol Meaning
The horizontal ellipsis (…) is punctuation used to show that something is left out or that a thought continues. In writing, it can indicate an omission (for example, quoting with skipped words) or a trailing off at the end of a sentence. It may also represent a pause or hesitation in dialogue, depending on context. Compared to using three separate dots “...” , the ellipsis character is a single typographic unit, which helps with consistent spacing and better-looking text in many fonts and editors. In UI labels and status messages, it often signals loading, truncation, or continuation.
Common uses
- •Indicating omitted words in quotes or references
- •Showing a trailing off at the end of a sentence or thought
- •Representing a pause or hesitation in dialogue
- •Signaling truncated text in interfaces (e.g., search results or previews)
- •Indicating ongoing progress/continuation in status text (e.g., “Loading…”)
Examples
… Horizontal Ellipsis (U+2026)
- …She started to say something, then stopped…
- …The report concludes that the results were “inconclusive…”
- …For more details, see Section 3…
- …Loading… please wait.
- …This description is longer than shown…
Variations
Ready to copy
Technical codes
| Unicode | U+2026 | |
| HTML Entity | … | |
| HTML Code | … | |
| CSS | \2026 |
FAQ
What does the Horizontal Ellipsis symbol mean?
The horizontal ellipsis (…) is punctuation used to show that something is left out or that a thought continues. In writing, it can indicate an omission (for example, quoting with skipped words) or a trailing off at the end of a sentence. It may also represent a pause or hesitation in dialogue, depending on context. Compared to using three separate dots “...” , the ellipsis character is a single typographic unit, which helps with consistent spacing and better-looking text in many fonts and editors. In UI labels and status messages, it often signals loading, truncation, or continuation.
What is the difference between “…” and “...”?
“…” is a single horizontal ellipsis character (U+2026). “...” is three separate periods, which can space and align differently across fonts and editors.
Is the horizontal ellipsis the same as the vertical ellipsis?
No. The horizontal ellipsis (…) is U+2026. A vertical ellipsis is a different character used primarily in different layout contexts.
How do I copy the symbol in HTML?
Use the HTML entity: …
How do I type it using JavaScript or CSS?
JavaScript: \\u{2026}. CSS escape: \\2026.