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Two nested less-than signs, marking a difference of scale.
Also known as: Much smaller than, Double less-than, Far less than
Two stacked less-than signs say one quantity is smaller than another by enough to be neglected. How much is enough is never stated by the symbol, which makes it an informal claim inside otherwise formal writing.
States that one quantity is very much smaller than another, usually by orders of magnitude.
Contexts: Mathematics
Carries no defined threshold, so it is a claim about approximation whose strength depends on the argument being made.
Contexts: Mathematics
Two arrowhead shapes pointing left, set one behind the other and overlapping slightly.
The same shape does duty as a French quotation mark.