ordm

"ordm" is a typographic symbol used primarily to denote ordinal indicators in various languages. It is represented by the lowercase Latin letter 'o' followed by a small superscript letter 'o', forming "o" with a superscript "o" (º). This symbol is commonly used to indicate the position of a number within an ordered sequence, such as "1st," "2nd," or "3rd," in languages that utilize ordinal notation.

The "ordm" symbol is most prominent in Spanish, Portuguese, and other Romance languages. In Spanish, it appears as part of the ordinal indicator "º" for masculine forms, typically following a number (e.g., "1º" for "primero" or "first"). Its feminine counterpart in these languages is represented by a different symbol, "ª" (feminine ordinal indicator). The symbol helps distinguish ordinal numbers from cardinal numbers, which denote quantity.

In digital typography, the "ordm" symbol is characterized by its Unicode code point U+00BA, known as "MASCULINE ORDINAL INDICATOR." It is used in digital documents and typesetting to maintain language and style conventions.

The origin of "ordm" traces back to Latin script conventions, where the superscript form was used as a shorthand for ordinal indicators. Its visual similarity to the masculine symbol "♂" has also made it a recognizable marker for sequential order.

In summary, "ordm" is a typographic character that serves to indicate the ordinal position of a number in various languages. Its standardized Unicode representation ensures consistent usage across digital platforms, maintaining clarity and linguistic accuracy in written communication.