SYMBOL
< less-than
Unicode information
less-thanLESS-THAN SIGNU+003C<<\003c\u003CMath17.0Meaning of < less-than
The < character is listed as less-than in SymbolDex. Its technical Unicode name is LESS-THAN SIGN. It is associated with mathematical notation; its exact function depends on the formula or notation system in which it appears.
Common uses
- Mathematical formulas and expressions.
- Scientific, technical or educational documentation.
- Unicode text that requires this specific notation.
How to type < on Windows, Mac and mobile
Windows
The universal method is to use Copy on this page and paste <. On Windows 10/11 you can press Win + . and browse the Symbols section, or open Character Map (charmap) to locate characters supported by your fonts.
Mac
Press Control + Command + Space to open Character Viewer, search for less-than, then double-click it to insert the character.
Microsoft Word
Type 003C without U+, then immediately press Alt + X. Word converts the code into <. You can also use Insert → Symbol.
Google Docs
Open Insert → Special characters and search by name, or paste < directly. For emoji, you can also use your operating system emoji picker.
iPhone / iPad
iOS does not provide a direct Unicode-code entry method for every symbol. Copy < from SymbolDex or check long-press variants on related keys. For frequent use, create a shortcut under Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement.
Android
Availability varies by Android keyboard. In Gboard, browse the symbols panel and long-press related keys for variants. If it is not available, copy < from SymbolDex and paste it where needed.
Linux
In many Linux apps using GTK/IBus, press Ctrl + Shift + U, type 003c, then confirm with Enter or Space. If your app does not support this method, copy and paste <.
Web and programming codes
Copy the representation you need for HTML, CSS, JavaScript or Python. For emoji sequences, SymbolDex includes every code point in the correct order.
<<\003c\u003C\u003C<Usage examples
< — less-thanUnicode: U+003CHTML: <