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Glite Dictionary
double obelisk

double obelisk

9.9
A small mark used to show the third footnote on a page
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : doble obelisco
  • When all other symbols were taken, the editor used the double obelisk to mark the third footnote.

Examples

  • The double obelisk is less commonly seen than the asterisk or dagger in most books.

  • The double obelisk is used in footnotes.

  • Please note the information marked with a double obelisk at the bottom of the page.

  • What does a double obelisk signify in a document?

  • The editor used a double obelisk to indicate a third footnote in the manuscript.

  • Please refer to the notes marked with a double obelisk for additional information.

  • In academic writing, a double obelisk serves as a symbol for footnotes beyond the asterisk.

Synonyms

diesis
vsdouble obelisk
  • Specialized
9.9

A small mark ‡ used in printed text to show the third note at the bottom of a page

is the same symbol but named differently in practice
double dagger
vsdouble obelisk
  • Specialized
8.9

A small mark that shows a third footnote in printed text after an asterisk and a dagger

is the same symbol though the name varies across sources

Surface Forms

double obelisk singular
double obelisks plural

Morphology

double + obelisk

The meaning is directly compositional: 'double' (twofold) combined with 'obelisk' (the typographic dagger/obelus) denotes the double-dagger symbol (‡) used as a subsequent footnote marker. This naming follows a regular, cross-linguistic pattern (e.g., 'double dagger'), so a B1 learner who knows both constituent meanings can infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Double obelisk comes from old printers' marks. The small sign looks like two little daggers side by side, so the words double and obelisk give a clear picture. Printers used it after the asterisk and dagger to mark the 'third footnote', so today double obelisk means the mark used for a third footnote or a cross-reference.