Copy and paste the Upsilon symbol - both uppercase and lowercase variants
Uppercase Upsilon
Lowercase Upsilon
Unicode
U+03A5
HTML Entity
Υ
LaTeX
\Upsilon
Alternative Names
Historical Context
The uppercase Upsilon (Υ) was adopted into the Latin alphabet as the letter Y. This adoption occurred when the Romans encountered Greek words and needed a way to represent the Upsilon sound in their writing system. The visual similarity between Upsilon and Y is not coincidental - it's a direct result of this historical borrowing.
Unicode
U+03C5
HTML Entity
υ
LaTeX
\upsilon
Alternative Names
Typography & Usage
The lowercase upsilon (υ) has a distinct shape that can vary across different fonts. While it may sometimes resemble a Latin 'v', traditionally it has a more curved form closer to a 'u' shape in Greek typography. In mathematical and scientific contexts, the shape distinction becomes particularly important for clarity.
Upsilon (Υ, υ) is the 20th letter of the Greek alphabet. Its name derives from the Phoenician letter "waw," which represented the sound /u/. The pronunciation has evolved over time - in Ancient Greek, it was pronounced like the "u" in "put," while in Modern Greek, it sounds like the "i" in "hit."
In Pythagorean philosophy, the Upsilon symbol became known as the "Pythagorean letter." Its shape was seen as a powerful metaphor for life's choices - the stem represents the starting point of life, while the two branches symbolize the diverging paths of virtue (the difficult but rewarding path) and vice (the easy but destructive path).
Type and press Alt + X:
Uppercase (Υ)
Lowercase (υ)
Uppercase (Υ)
U+03A5
Lowercase (υ)
U+03C5
Uppercase (Υ)
\Upsilon
Lowercase (υ)
\upsilon
Using Unicode in CSS content:
content: "\03A5"; /* Uppercase */
content: "\03C5"; /* Lowercase */Using Unicode escape sequences:
const upsilonUpper = "\u03A5";
const upsilonLower = "\u03C5";Click any symbol to copy it to your clipboard. Each letter includes its traditional meaning and common uses in science and mathematics.
≈ 3.14159...
Circle circumference to diameter ratio
≈ 1.61803...
Golden ratio
≈ 0.57721...
Euler-Mascheroni constant
= 2π ≈ 6.28318...
Circle constant (full rotation)
Sum of a sequence from i=1 to n
Product of a sequence from i=1 to n
Change in value
Describes quantum state evolution
Connects five fundamental constants
Find answers to common questions about the Upsilon symbol
In Modern Greek, Upsilon is pronounced like the 'i' in 'hit'. However, in Ancient Greek, it was pronounced like the 'u' in 'put'. The name itself is pronounced as 'oop-si-lon' or 'up-si-lon'.
The Latin letter Y actually derives from Upsilon. When the Romans adopted Greek words into Latin, they used the Upsilon symbol to represent the Greek sound, which eventually evolved into the modern letter Y in the English alphabet.
While they look similar, Υ (Upsilon) is a Greek letter while Y is a Latin letter. In typography, Upsilon often has a slightly different shape and is used in different contexts, primarily in mathematical and scientific notation.
Some applications might not support Unicode characters or might not have the appropriate font installed. In such cases, you can try using HTML entities (Υ or υ) or use a different font that includes Greek characters.
Upsilon is commonly used in mathematics and physics to represent various concepts, including wave functions in quantum mechanics, the Y-axis in three-dimensional coordinate systems, and specific types of mathematical groups in group theory.
On most smartphones, you can press and hold the 'Y' or 'y' key to reveal alternative characters, including Upsilon. Alternatively, you can add a Greek keyboard in your phone's settings and switch to it when needed.
Yes, Upsilon is still an integral part of the modern Greek alphabet. In modern Greek, it's often combined with other vowels to create diphthongs and is pronounced like the 'i' in 'hit'.
The Upsilon symbol was known as the 'Pythagorean letter' because Pythagoras used its shape to symbolize the diverging paths of virtue and vice in human life. The stem represents life's starting point, while the two branches represent the choices between virtue (the difficult path) and vice (the easy path).
Yes, Upsilon is frequently used in mathematical equations, particularly in physics and engineering. It's commonly used to represent wave functions in quantum mechanics, vertical components in vectors, and specific mathematical groups.
The Unicode values for Upsilon are U+03A5 for uppercase (Υ) and U+03C5 for lowercase (υ). These codes can be used in programming, web development, and other digital applications.
In LaTeX, you can write Upsilon using \Upsilon for uppercase (Υ) and \upsilon for lowercase (υ). These commands work in mathematical mode and regular text mode when using the appropriate packages.
Upsilon originated from the Phoenician letter 'waw'. It was adopted into the Greek alphabet around the 8th century BCE. The Romans later adapted it into their alphabet as the letter Y, which is why the two letters share a similar appearance.