Section Symbol (§) Copy Paste — Complete Guide

Section Symbol — Copy It Here

The section symbol (§) is one of the most recognizable legal and academic characters. If you need it right now, just copy it: §. It is used in legal documents to reference specific sections of law, in academic writing as a footnote marker, and in many other contexts where you need to point to a specific part of a document. Here is everything you need to know about it.

Section Symbol and Related Characters

How to Type the Section Symbol

Windows

• Alt + 0167 (numeric keypad) — produces §
• Alt + 21 (numeric keypad) — also produces § on some systems

Mac

• Option + 6 — produces §
• Shift + Option + 6 — produces the reversed section sign ⸗ (on some layouts)

Linux

• Ctrl + Shift + U, then type 00A7 and press Enter

iPhone and iPad

• Switch to the numbers keyboard, then hold the & key — § appears in the popup

Android

• Switch to the symbols keyboard (usually ?123 then =\<), then look under & or hold the & key

HTML

• § = &sect; or &#xA7; or &#167;

What Does the Section Symbol Mean?

The section sign (§) has a specific meaning: it references a particular section of a document, law, or statute. When you see "§5" it means "Section 5." It is also called the "silcrow" or "section mark" or sometimes just "the curly S."

The symbol likely evolved from the Latin word "sectio" (meaning a cutting or division). Its shape is essentially two intertwined S characters, standing for "signum sectionis" — the sign of a section. The symbol has been in use since at least the 15th century in legal and scholarly manuscripts.

Common Uses of the Section Symbol

Legal Documents

This is where you see the section sign most often. Lawyers, judges, and legislators use it constantly: "See §1983 of Title 42" or "as defined in §3.2(a) of the Agreement." When a document references its own sections, the section sign replaces the word "Section" to save space and look professional.

Academic Writing

In some academic styles, the section sign is used as the fourth footnote reference mark after the asterisk (*), dagger (†), and double dagger (‡). It also appears in mathematical writing to denote specific parts of a proof or theorem.

Web Design and Typography

Web designers sometimes use § as a decorative separator or as a navigational marker. It appears in some website designs as a section divider. In journalism, it can mark editorial additions or corrections.

Section Symbol vs. Pilcrow (Paragraph Sign)

The section sign (§) and the pilcrow (¶) are often confused but serve different purposes. The pilcrow marks the start of a new paragraph. The section sign marks a numbered section of a document. In legal writing, you might see both: ¶ for individual paragraphs within a § (section). Think of sections as the big divisions and paragraphs as the smaller ones within them.

Double Section Sign

You will sometimes see two section signs together: §§ This is shorthand for "sections" (plural). So "§§ 1-5" means "Sections 1 through 5." This convention is standard in legal writing and academic citations.

Quick Copy — Section Symbol

Ready to paste:

§

The section symbol has been a workhorse of formal writing for over 500 years. It might look like a fancy curly S, but it carries real meaning: "I am pointing you to a specific part of this document." Whether you are writing a legal brief, citing a statute, or just need a cool-looking character for your design project, now you know exactly what it is and how to use it.