threeem

Threeem is a shorthand term for the three-em dash, a typographic symbol used to indicate omission or redaction of material in text. The three-em dash is longer than the standard em dash and is encoded in Unicode as a single glyph, designated for this purpose. The name threeem treats the term as a contracted form of “three-em dash,” and is commonly used in discussions about typography and text editing.

Usage and conventions vary by discipline and style guide, but the three-em dash generally signals a longer omission than that indicated by an ordinary dash. It may replace a lengthy passage, a phrase that has been omitted for editorial reasons, or a redacted name in scholarly editions, legal documents, or archival materials. In digital typography, rendering can differ: some fonts provide a dedicated three-em dash character, while others render the effect with a sequence of em dashes. In plain text, authors may approximate the symbol by typing three em dashes in a row.

History and typography: The three-em dash emerged in the era of manual typesetting as printers sought a symbol longer than the em dash to denote substantial omissions. With the advent of digital typesetting, Unicode added a dedicated glyph for the three-em dash (U+2E3B), facilitating consistent rendering across platforms. Today, its use remains relatively limited and is most often encountered in specialized editing, scholarly editions, or archival work.

Related terms include the em dash and en dash. The three-em dash is part of the broader family of dash-based punctuation used to clarify breaks, omissions, and redactions in written text.