Bullet point

A filled dot marking an item in a list.

Also known as: Bullet, Dot point, List dot

Keyboard & punctuationEveryday & digitalQuiet profile

Meanings

A filled dot marks each item of an unordered list. It signals that order does not matter, which is the distinction from a numbered list rather than a matter of style.

Common modern usageVerified fact
Marks an item in an unordered list, where the sequence of items carries no meaning.
Contexts: Software
Common modern usageVerified fact
Is distinguished from a numbered list by exactly that: numbers assert an order or a ranking, bullets assert that there is none.
Contexts: Software
Common modern usageCommon usage
Appears in several sizes and fills across typefaces, and nested lists conventionally alternate the shape to show depth.
Contexts: Software

Visual description

A small solid filled circle, sitting on the middle of the line height, set to the left of the text it introduces.

A fuller structured visual breakdown is not yet documented for this symbol.

Confidence

IdentityModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the identity is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.
Historical originLow confidence: Low confidence because the historical origin is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far, but early or supporting evidence is limited, but the regional or cultural match to this specific claim is not precise.
Current useModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the current use is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.
Visual matchModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the visual match is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.

Sources

Unicode Code Chart: General Punctuation (U+2000–U+206F)
The Unicode Consortium · retrieved 2026-07-30
Authoritative for the character's code point, name and block only. Unicode assigns identity; it does not define what a symbol means in use.

Last reviewed 2026-08-01

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Punctuation and keyboard marks

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Meanings

A filled dot marks each item of an unordered list. It signals that order does not matter, which is the distinction from a numbered list rather than a matter of style.

Common modern usageVerified fact

Marks an item in an unordered list, where the sequence of items carries no meaning.

Contexts: Software

Common modern usageVerified fact

Is distinguished from a numbered list by exactly that: numbers assert an order or a ranking, bullets assert that there is none.

Contexts: Software

Common modern usageCommon usage

Appears in several sizes and fills across typefaces, and nested lists conventionally alternate the shape to show depth.

Contexts: Software

Confidence

IdentityModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the identity is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.
Historical originLow confidence: Low confidence because the historical origin is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far, but early or supporting evidence is limited, but the regional or cultural match to this specific claim is not precise.
Current useModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the current use is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.
Visual matchModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the visual match is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.