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A lower-case a enclosed by a curling stroke, used in email addresses and handles.
Also known as: At symbol, Commercial at, Email sign, Monkey tail
The at sign separates a user name from a domain in email addresses and introduces handles on social platforms. It was a commercial and accounting mark for centuries before Ray Tomlinson chose it for network mail in 1971.
Separates the user name from the host in an email address, as in name@example.com.
Contexts: Software
Introduces a user handle or directs a message at someone on social platforms and in chat.
Contexts: Software
Was long a commercial mark meaning 'at the rate of' in invoices and ledgers, and was chosen for network mail in 1971 precisely because it was otherwise unused in names.
Pre-modern commerce; adopted for email in 1971 · Contexts: Software
Has vivid names in many languages that describe its shape rather than its function — variations on 'monkey tail', 'elephant's trunk', 'snail' and 'little mouse'.
Contexts: Software
A lower-case letter a surrounded by a stroke curling clockwise around it.