Ndash

What does Ndash mean?

Ndash (–) is a Unicode character entity representing an ’em dash’ – a wide dash that is used in place of a comma or Hyphen to indicate a pause or break in a sentence. It is longer than an ‘en dash’ (-) but shorter than a ‘horizontal bar’ (—).

Ndash is often used to:

• Separate independent clauses (as opposed to a hyphen, which typically separates words)
• Introduce parenthetical text or asides
• Set off appositives (Nouns or noun phrases that rename or identify a preceding noun)
• Highlight or emphasize certain words or phrases

For Example:

• “The new building is—in my opinion—an architectural masterpiece.” (parenthetical text)
• “My brother—the one who lives in California—is a software engineer.” (appositive)
• “I have only one goal—to succeed.” (emphasis)

Applications

Ndash is an important tool in typography and writing, providing a way to convey pauses, breaks, and emphasis without interrupting the flow of text. It is widely used in:

• Literature: Novels, short stories, and poems
• Journalism: Articles, news reports, and editorials
• Academic writing: Essays, theses, and dissertations
• Technical documentation: Manuals, guides, and instructions

In web design, ndash is often used to create bullet points, separate menu items, or highlight important sections of text.

History

The em dash originated in the 18th century as a way to create a separation between two words or clauses. It was originally created by printing two hyphens together, but eventually evolved into a single character.

The term “em dash” comes from the fact that it is typically the same Width as the letter “M” in the same font. The name “ndash” is a shortened form of “em dash”.

Ndash was officially added to the Unicode standard in 1991, making it universally available for use in digital text.