Long S (ſ) is the Latin Extended-A character at Unicode U+017F (LATIN SMALL LETTER LONG S). It is an archaic form of the letter s found in historical European typography.
Remember
Character ſ
Unicode U+017F
Hex entity ſ
Decimal ſ
Named entity (none)
CSS escape \017F
Not the same s · f · ß (ß)
Hex, decimal, CSS, and a typed character all produce the same glyph: ſ. Prefer ſ when you want an explicit entity. There is no named HTML form.
Reference
Quick Reference
One table for every form you will actually use.
Form
Code
Where it goes
Hex entity
ſ
HTML markup (best entity default)
Decimal entity
ſ
HTML markup
Named entity
None
HTML5 does not define one
CSS escape
\017F
Stylesheet content
Direct character
ſ
UTF-8 HTML text
When to Use Which
Situation
Use
Readable numeric entity in HTML
ſ
Decimal entity required
ſ
Generated text via ::before / ::after
content: "\017F"
Modern letter s
Type s (U+0073) — different character
German sharp s (ß)
Use ß (U+00DF)
See it
Live Preview
Long S in common historical-typography contexts.
Word sampleCongreſs
Large glyphſ
Hex entityſ → ſ
vs s / f / ßſ | s | f | ß
With entitiesHex: ſ | Decimal: ſ
Code
Complete HTML Example
One page that shows this character with hex, decimal, and CSS. Use View Output or open the live editor.
Hex + Decimal + CSS
Three ways to produce ſ in a single document (no named entity).
Using Hex Code: ſ
Using HTML Code: ſ
Using CSS Entity: ſ
Congreſs
How It Works
1. Hex:U+017F → ſ in HTML. The browser turns it into ſ.
2. Decimal: same code point as 383 → ſ. Same result as hex.
3. Named: HTML5 does not define a named entity for this character — use hex or decimal instead.
4. CSS: use \017F in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends that ſ after the paragraph text.
Pitfalls & Tips
Common mistakes when working with Long S.
Look-alikes
ſ ≠ s ≠ f ≠ ß
Long s can resemble f in some fonts. It is not modern s and not German sharp s (ß).
Named
No &…; name
Do not invent a name such as &longs;. Use ſ or ſ.
Usage
Historical spelling rules
In historical texts, long s usually appears mid-word and final s stays short — follow your edition’s style guide.
CSS vs HTML
Do not mix escapes
\017F belongs in CSS. ſ / ſ belong in HTML.
Fonts
Latin Extended-A coverage
Most modern fonts include U+017F, but verify on target devices if historical glyphs are critical.
Semicolon
End references
Always finish with ; — write ſ, not ſ.
Compatibility
Browser Support
Long S (U+017F) and its entity forms (ſ, ſ, CSS \\017F) are supported in all modern browsers. Glyph coverage depends on the font.
✓ Universal encoding
Long S (ſ)
Encode with hex, decimal, or CSS escape — or type ſ directly in UTF-8 HTML. No named entity.
100%Browser coverage
Google ChromeSupported
Yes
Microsoft EdgeSupported
Yes
Mozilla FirefoxSupported
Yes
Apple SafariSupported
Yes
OperaSupported
Yes
Internet ExplorerIE 9+
Yes*
U+017FFull support
Bottom line: Prefer ſ for readable HTML. Use \\017F only inside CSS content.
Remember
Key Takeaways
Unicode: this character is U+017F (decimal 383).
HTML: prefer ſ — or use ſ. No named entity.
CSS: use \017F inside content for generated text.
Watch out:U+017F ≠ modern s ≠ f ≠ ß.
One line:U+017F → ſ / ſ / CSS \017F (no named entity).
Frequently Asked Questions
Use ſ (hex), ſ (decimal), or the CSS escape \017F in the content property. All render ſ when the font supports Latin Extended-A. There is no named HTML entity.
U+017F (LATIN SMALL LETTER LONG S). Hex 017F, decimal 383. It belongs to Latin Extended-A (U+0100–U+017F).
No. HTML5 does not define a named entity for U+017F. Use numeric references like ſ or ſ.
Use it in historical editions, paleography, typography studies, and any content that needs the archaic long s rather than a modern s.
HTML entities (ſ or ſ) go in markup. The CSS escape \017F is used in stylesheets (usually in the content property of ::before/::after). Both render ſ.
No. Modern s is U+0073. The letter f is U+0066. German sharp s is ß (ß, U+00DF). Long s (U+017F, ſ) is a distinct historical character.
🤔
Did you know?
Long S is Unicode U+017F (decimal 383) — LATIN SMALL LETTER LONG S in Latin Extended-A. HTML5 has no named entity — use ſ or ſ. It was common in historical European typography (for example Congreſs) and is not the same as modern s, f, or German ß (ß).
