@ (At Symbol) – Meaning, History, Usage, and Examples

Discover the meaning, history, and uses of the @ (at symbol). Learn about its role in email, social media, pricing, coding, and digital communication with examples and interesting facts.

@ (At Symbol)

Pronunciation: /æt/ (at) | IPA: /æt/

Definition and Meaning

The @ symbol (pronounced “at”) is a typographical character primarily used in email addresses, social media handles, and various computing applications. It denotes a location, association, or specific designation, such as in usernames, tagging, and pricing. It is a crucial element in digital communication and commerce.

Synonyms

• At sign
• Commercial at
• Arobase (French)
• Asperand
• Ampersat
• Atmark (Japanese)
• Strudel (Hebrew)
• Snabel-a (Swedish)

Antonyms

There are no direct antonyms for @ as it is a symbol rather than a word with an opposite meaning.

History and Origin

The @ symbol has a rich history dating back to medieval times. It was originally used by scribes in Latin documents to represent “ad,” meaning “at the rate of” or “toward.” During the Renaissance, it appeared in commercial transactions to signify price per unit (e.g., “10 apples @ $1 each”).

In the 19th century, typewriters included the @ symbol for business use, and it later became part of computer keyboards. The modern usage of @ was revolutionized in 1971 when Ray Tomlinson, an American computer scientist, chose it as the separator for email addresses, marking a user and their domain (e.g., user@domain.com). Since then, it has become a universal standard for electronic communication.

Grammar Rules and Usage

1. Email Communication:
   • Used to separate the username and domain name in email addresses.
   • Example: john.doe@gmail.com
2. Social Media Handles:
   • Used to tag or mention users on platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
   • Example: @username
3. Pricing and Commerce:
   • Indicates a unit price in commerce.
   • Example: 5 bananas @ $2 each
4. Programming and Coding:
   • Used in various programming languages for annotations, decorators, or addressing.
   • Example: @Override in Java, @Component in Spring Framework.
5. Mathematical and Scientific Notation:
   • Occasionally used in formulas or expressions.
   • Example: f(x) @ x = 5 (context-dependent).
6. Networking and IT:
   • Used in networking commands and configuration files.
   • Example: ping user@server.com
7. Linguistic and Stylistic Use:
   • Sometimes used to create gender-neutral language in informal writing.
   • Example: “Dear @all,” or “wom@n” (controversial usage).

Examples of Usage

1. In Email:
   • “Send your queries to support@company.com.”
2. On Social Media:
   • “Follow us on Twitter @TechWorld for updates!”
3. In Business Transactions:
   • “We sell oranges @ $1 per dozen.”
4. In Coding:
   • @import 'styles.css'; (Used in CSS and Python)
5. Casual Digital Communication:
   • “Hey @Jake, can you review this document?”
6. In Online Forms and Authentication:
   • Many login systems use the @ symbol in email-based authentication.
   • Example: “Enter your email @company.com to sign in.”

Cultural and Modern Usage

• Internet Culture: The @ symbol has become an integral part of digital communication, from email to social media.
• Branding & Marketing: Companies use @ in promotional campaigns and brand mentions.
• Pop Culture: The symbol is widely recognized and often used as a shorthand for online identity.
• Typography and Art: Some artists incorporate the @ symbol into digital designs and calligraphy.
• Legal and Official Documentation: Occasionally used in digital contracts and online agreements.

Interesting Facts

1. The Spanish and Portuguese languages use @ in shorthand to represent both masculine and feminine forms in plural (e.g., “amig@s” instead of “amigos/amigas”).
2. The @ symbol is known as “snail” in Italian and Hebrew due to its spiral-like shape.
3. In Morse code, @ is represented as .--.-. and is the only symbol with its own distinct code.
4. The Unicode for @ is U+0040, making it widely recognized across different digital systems.
5. It was added to the ASCII character set in 1963 as a key feature of early computer programming.

Here is the @ (At Symbol) meaning and definition in multiple languages:

Mandarin Chinese (Simplified) – 中文

符号 @ 的含义和定义
@（艾特符号），通常用于电子邮件地址、社交媒体标签、定价和编程，表示“在”或“每个”的意思。
📌 示例: user@example.com 在电子邮件地址中使用 @。
📌 名称: 电子邮件符号 (电邮符号) / 艾特 (@)

Arabic – العربية

معنى ورمز @
@ (علامة أت) تستخدم في البريد الإلكتروني ووسائل التواصل الاجتماعي والتسعير والبرمجة، وتعني “عند” أو “لكل وحدة”.
📌 مثال: user@example.com يُستخدم @ في البريد الإلكتروني.
📌 الأسماء: آت، علامة البريد الإلكتروني

Hindi – हिन्दी

@ का अर्थ और परिभाषा
@ (एट चिन्ह) का उपयोग ईमेल पते, सोशल मीडिया टैगिंग, मूल्य निर्धारण और प्रोग्रामिंग में किया जाता है। इसका अर्थ “पर” या “प्रति” होता है।
📌 उदाहरण: user@example.com ईमेल में @ का उपयोग होता है।
📌 नाम: एट चिन्ह, ईमेल चिन्ह

Spanish – Español

Significado y definición de @
El símbolo @ (arroba) se usa en direcciones de correo electrónico, redes sociales, precios y programación. Significa “en” o “por cada”.
📌 Ejemplo: usuario@ejemplo.com usa @ en correos electrónicos.
📌 Nombres: Arroba, símbolo de correo electrónico

Portuguese – Português

Significado e definição de @
O símbolo @ (arroba) é usado em endereços de e-mail, redes sociais, preços e programação. Representa “em” ou “por cada”.
📌 Exemplo: usuario@exemplo.com usa @ em e-mails.
📌 Nomes: Arroba, símbolo de e-mail

Bengali – বাংলা

@ চিহ্নের অর্থ ও সংজ্ঞা
@ (এট চিহ্ন) ইমেইল ঠিকানা, সামাজিক যোগাযোগ মাধ্যম, মূল্য নির্ধারণ এবং প্রোগ্রামিং-এ ব্যবহৃত হয়। এর অর্থ “এ” বা “প্রতি”।
📌 উদাহরণ: user@example.com ইমেইলে @ ব্যবহৃত হয়।
📌 নাম: এট চিহ্ন, ইমেইল প্রতীক

Russian – Русский

Значение и определение @
@ (собака) используется в адресах электронной почты, социальных сетях, ценах и программировании. Означает “на” или “за каждый”.
📌 Пример: user@example.com использует @ в электронной почте.
📌 Название: Собака, символ электронной почты

Japanese – 日本語

@ の意味と定義
@（アットマーク） は、メールアドレス、SNSのタグ、価格設定、プログラミングで使用されます。「～に」「1つあたり」を意味します。
📌 例: user@example.com で @ はメールアドレスに使われます。
📌 名称: アットマーク

French – Français

Signification et définition de @
Le symbole @ (arobase) est utilisé dans les adresses e-mail, les réseaux sociaux, la tarification et la programmation. Il signifie « à » ou « par ».
📌 Exemple: utilisateur@exemple.com utilise @ dans un e-mail.
📌 Noms: Arobase, symbole e-mail

Odia – ଓଡ଼ିଆ

@ ଅର୍ଥ ଏବଂ ସଂଜ୍ଞା
@ (ଏଟ୍ ଚିହ୍ନ) ଇମେଲ୍ ଠିକଣା, ସୋସିଆଲ୍ ମିଡିଆ, ମୂଲ୍ୟ ନିର୍ଧାରଣ, ଏବଂ ପ୍ରଗ୍ରାମିଂରେ ବ୍ୟବହାର ହୋଇଥାଏ। ଏହାର ଅର୍ଥ “ଠିକଣା” କିମ୍ବା “ପ୍ରତି” ଅଟେ।
📌 ଉଦାହରଣ: user@example.com ଇମେଲ୍ ଠିକଣାରେ @ ଚିହ୍ନ ବ୍ୟବହାର ହୋଇଥାଏ।
📌 ନାମ: ଏଟ୍ ଚିହ୍ନ, ଇମେଲ୍ ସିମ୍ବଲ୍

Conclusion

The @ symbol has evolved from a medieval scribal abbreviation to a cornerstone of digital communication. Its widespread usage in email, social media, business transactions, and programming highlights its adaptability and significance in modern language. With continuous digital evolution, the @ symbol remains an essential part of online communication, branding, and global interaction.

FAQs:

1. What does the @ symbol mean?
   The @ symbol, also known as the at sign, is used in email addresses, social media mentions, pricing, and coding.
2. Who invented the @ symbol?
   The @ symbol has been in use since medieval times, but Ray Tomlinson popularized it in 1971 for email addresses.
3. Why is @ used in email addresses?
   The @ symbol separates the user’s name from the domain, indicating the email’s destination.
4. What are other names for the @ symbol?
   It is called arobase in French, ampersat, asperand, and atmark in different languages.
5. How is @ used in programming?
   It is used for annotations, decorators, and special commands in languages like Python, Java, and CSS.