multiplication dot
- noun
- /ˌmʌltɪplɪˈkeɪʃən dɒt/
- Specialized
- The teacher wrote the equation using a multiplication dot to avoid confusion.
Examples
-
In algebra, the multiplication dot is often preferred over the × symbol.
-
Don't confuse the multiplication dot with a decimal point!
-
Computer typesetting systems typically include a multiplication dot as a special character.
-
The multiplication dot is clear.
-
In algebra, the multiplication dot is often preferred over the × symbol to enhance clarity.
-
The teacher wrote the equation using a multiplication dot to ensure students understood the operation.
-
Computer typesetting systems typically include a multiplication dot to represent multiplication accurately.
Synonyms
A symbol that shows one number times another, usually ×
A symbol × used to show multiplication between numbers
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly and compositionally derived from 'multiplication' (the arithmetic operation) and 'dot' (a small round mark): a dot used to denote multiplication. This follows a standard noun + noun compound pattern and is cross-linguistically obvious in mathematical terminology, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
The multiplication dot comes from the simple picture of a small dot placed between numbers to show you should 'multiply' them. Because a tiny dot does not look like the letter 'x', it became a clear way to mean 'times' and avoid confusion in writing.