LaTeX Symbol Finder
Search through 2,000+ LaTeX symbols including Greek letters, mathematical operators, arrows, relations, and special characters. Find any symbol by name, category, or description and copy its code with a single click.
Whether you're writing complex equations, academic papers, or technical documentation, our symbol finder helps you locate the exact LaTeX command you need instantly. No more searching through documentation or guessing command names.
Understanding LaTeX Symbols
LaTeX provides an extensive library of symbols that go far beyond what's available on a standard keyboard. These symbols are essential for mathematical notation, scientific writing, and technical documentation. Understanding how LaTeX handles symbols will help you use them effectively in your documents.
How LaTeX Symbol Commands Work
LaTeX symbols are created using backslash commands. When you type \alpha, LaTeX interprets this command and renders the Greek letter α. This command-based approach gives you access to thousands of symbols using only ASCII characters, making LaTeX documents portable and editable on any system.
Symbol commands follow consistent naming patterns. Greek letters use their English names (\beta, \gamma, \delta). Mathematical operators describe their function (\sum for summation, \prod for product, \int for integral). Arrows indicate direction (\rightarrow, \Leftarrow, \updownarrow). Learning these patterns makes finding new symbols intuitive.
Math Mode vs. Text Mode
A crucial concept in LaTeX is the distinction between math mode and text mode. Most symbols in this finder are math mode symbols, meaning they must appear inside math delimiters: either inline math using single dollar signs ($\alpha$) or display math using double dollar signs or the equation environment. Using a math symbol outside of math mode will cause a compilation error.
Text mode symbols, like \textdagger (†) or \textsection (§), work in regular text without math delimiters. When searching for a symbol, check whether it requires math mode—the tool indicates this for each symbol. If you need a math symbol in text, wrap it: The symbol $\alpha$ represents...
Required Packages
While basic LaTeX includes many common symbols, advanced symbols require additional packages. The most important are amsmath and amssymb from the American Mathematical Society. These packages provide hundreds of additional symbols used in professional mathematical typesetting.
When a symbol in our finder shows a package indicator (like "amssymb"), you need to add that package to your document preamble:
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{amssymb}
\begin{document}
Your content with symbols like $\therefore$ and $\mathbb{R}$
\end{document}LaTeX Symbol Finder
Search through 2000+ LaTeX symbols. Click any symbol to copy its code.
174 symbols found
How to Use This Symbol Finder
1. Search by Name or Description
Type any word related to the symbol you need. Search for "infinity" to find ∞, "arrow" for all arrow types, or "alpha" for the Greek letter. You can also search by the LaTeX command itself.
2. Browse by Category
Click category buttons to filter symbols. Browse Greek Letters for α, β, γ, Relations for ≤, ≥, ≠, Arrows for →, ⇒, ↔, or Operators for +, ×, ∑. Categories help when you know what type of symbol you need but not its name.
3. Click to Copy
Click any symbol card to instantly copy its LaTeX command to your clipboard. A checkmark confirms the copy. You can then paste directly into your editor. Hover over symbols to see their full name and command.
4. Check Package Requirements
Some symbols show a package indicator in the bottom corner. If you see "amssymb" or another package name, add \usepackage{amssymb} to your preamble before using the symbol.
Popular Symbol Categories
Greek Letters
Greek letters are ubiquitous in mathematics and science. LaTeX provides both lowercase (α, β, γ) and uppercase (Γ, Δ, Θ) variants. Note that some uppercase Greek letters look identical to Latin letters (A, B, E) and don't have separate commands.
% Uppercase: $\Gamma$ $\Delta$ $\Theta$ $\Lambda$ $\Pi$ $\Sigma$ $\Omega$
Mathematical Operators
Beyond basic arithmetic (+, -, ×, ÷), LaTeX offers operators for advanced mathematics: summation (∑), products (∏), integrals (∫), and set operations (∪, ∩). Large operators automatically adjust size in display mode.
% Large: $\sum$ $\prod$ $\int$ $\oint$ $\bigcup$ $\bigcap$
Relations and Comparisons
Relational symbols express comparisons and logical relationships. Common ones include less than/greater than variants, equality types, and set membership. Many have negated versions created by adding "n" or "not" to the command.
% Sets: $\in$ $\notin$ $\subset$ $\supset$ $\subseteq$
Arrows
Arrows are essential for expressing mappings, implications, and directions. LaTeX provides single arrows (→), double arrows (⇒), bidirectional arrows (↔), and arrows of various styles. The amssymb package adds even more varieties.
% Double: $\Rightarrow$ $\Leftarrow$ $\Leftrightarrow$ $\implies$
Tips for Working with LaTeX Symbols
- Use semantic commands when available. Instead of
\alphafor a variable, consider defining\newcommand{\wavelength}{\alpha}so your LaTeX source is more readable and easier to modify later. - Remember spacing in math mode. LaTeX handles most spacing automatically, but you can use
\,(thin space),\:(medium space),\;(thick space), or\quad(large space) for manual adjustment. - Use the correct multiplication symbol. The asterisk (*) renders differently than
\times(×) or\cdot(·). For cross products use\times, for scalar multiplication use\cdot. - Match delimiter sizes. Use
\leftand\rightwith brackets, parentheses, and braces to auto-size them to content:\left( \frac{x}{y} \right). - Know your negations. Many relations have built-in negations:
\neq(≠),\notin(∉),\nleq(≰). You can also use\notbefore a symbol:\not\equiv. - Stack symbols when needed. Use
\overset{top}{base}or\underset{bottom}{base}to place symbols above or below others. For example:\overset{def}{=}creates ≝.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I type Greek letters in LaTeX?
\alpha (α), \beta (β), \gamma (γ). Uppercase letters capitalize the first letter: \Gamma (Γ),\Delta (Δ). These work in math mode. Some uppercase Greek letters (A, B, E, etc.) look identical to Latin letters and use regular typing.What package do I need for math symbols?
\usepackage{amsmath} and \usepackage{amssymb}. For additional arrows and symbols, consider stmaryrd. For physics notation, the physics package provides useful shortcuts.Why isn't my symbol appearing?
\usepackage command; (2) Not in math mode—wrap the symbol in $...$ for inline or \[...\] for display; (3) Typo—LaTeX commands are case-sensitive, so \Alpha works but\ALPHA doesn't; (4) Encoding issues—ensure your file is UTF-8.How do I create custom symbols or accents?
\hat{x} (x̂),\bar{x} (x̄), \vec{x} (x⃗), \dot{x} (ẋ). To create new symbols, use \newcommand to define combinations: \newcommand{\divides}{\mid}. Thestackrel command lets you stack symbols vertically.What's the difference between similar-looking symbols?
\epsilon (ε) vs \varepsilon (ε) are stylistic variants;\phi (φ) vs \varphi (φ) differ by convention;= (equals) vs \equiv (≡, congruent) vs\cong (≅, isomorphic) express different relationships. Choose based on mathematical meaning, not just appearance.How do I make symbols bigger or smaller?
\big, \Big,\bigg, \Bigg modifiers or \left/\right for automatic sizing. For general symbols, \displaystyle makes them larger (display mode) and \textstyle makes them smaller (inline mode). The graphicx package provides \scalebox{1.5}{$\alpha$} for precise scaling.Can I use Unicode symbols directly in LaTeX?
\usepackage{unicode-math} to enable this. However, using LaTeX commands is still recommended for portability and consistency—not all fonts support all Unicode characters, and commands work regardless of engine.How many symbols does this finder include?
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