Lowercase A Latin Subscript (ₐ) is the Superscripts and Subscripts character at Unicode U+2090 (LATIN SUBSCRIPT SMALL LETTER A). It is a dedicated subscript form of the letter a — useful in chemistry, math, and linguistic notation.
Remember
Character ₐ
Unicode U+2090
Hex entity ₐ
Decimal ₐ
CSS escape \2090
Named entity (none)
Hex, decimal, CSS, and a typed character all produce the same glyph: ₐ. Prefer ₐ in HTML source when you need an explicit entity.
Using Hex Code: ₐ
Using HTML Code: ₐ
Using CSS Entity: ₐ
In context: xₐ
How It Works
1. Hex:U+2090 → ₐ in HTML. The browser turns it into ₐ.
2. Decimal: same code point as 8336 → ₐ. Same result as hex.
3. Named: HTML5 does not define a named entity for this character — use hex or decimal instead.
4. CSS: use \2090 in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends that ₐ after the paragraph text.
Pitfalls & Tips
Common mistakes when working with Latin subscript small letter a.
Named
No &…; shortcut
HTML5 has no named entity for U+2090. Use ₐ or ₐ.
Look-alikes
Not <sub>a</sub> or U+0363
<sub> styles a normal letter. Combining Latin small a (U+0363) stacks on a base. This is a dedicated subscript glyph.
Semantics
Character vs markup
Use ₐ when you need the Unicode subscript letter in plain text. Use <sub> when structure/styling of normal text is enough.
CSS vs HTML
Do not mix escapes
\2090 belongs in CSS. ₐ / ₐ belong in HTML.
Encoding
Declare UTF-8
If you type ₐ directly, keep <meta charset="UTF-8"> so the file is not misread.
Fonts
Check glyph coverage
Some fonts omit subscript letters. Pick a font that includes U+2090 if the glyph is missing.
Compatibility
Browser Support
Latin subscript small letter a (U+2090) and its entity forms (ₐ, ₐ, CSS \\2090) are supported in all modern browsers. Glyph display depends on font coverage.
✓ Universal encoding
Lowercase A Latin Subscript (ₐ)
Encode with hex, decimal, or CSS escape — or type ₐ directly in UTF-8 HTML.
100%Browser coverage
Google ChromeSupported
Yes
Microsoft EdgeSupported
Yes
Mozilla FirefoxSupported
Yes
Apple SafariSupported
Yes
OperaSupported
Yes
Internet ExplorerIE 9+
Yes*
U+2090Full support
Bottom line: Prefer ₐ for readable HTML. Use \\2090 only inside CSS content.
Remember
Key Takeaways
Unicode: this character is U+2090 (decimal 8336).
HTML: prefer ₐ — or use ₐ (no named entity).
CSS: use \2090 inside content for generated text.
Watch out:ₐ ≠ letter a ≠ combining U+0363 ≠ <sub>a</sub>.
One line:U+2090 → ₐ / ₐ / CSS \2090 (no named entity).
Frequently Asked Questions
Use ₐ (hex), ₐ (decimal), or the CSS escape \2090 in the content property. All render ₐ when the font supports it. There is no named HTML entity.
U+2090 (LATIN SUBSCRIPT SMALL LETTER A). Hex 2090, decimal 8336. It belongs to Superscripts and Subscripts (U+2070–U+209F).
No. HTML5 does not define a named entity for U+2090. Use numeric references like ₐ or ₐ.
Use it for chemistry, mathematics, linguistics, IPA-style notation, and any text that needs a true subscript letter a without HTML sub markup.
HTML entities (ₐ or ₐ) go in markup. The CSS escape \2090 is used in stylesheets (usually in the content property of ::before/::after). Both render ₐ.
No. <sub>a</sub> is HTML markup that styles a normal a. U+0363 is a combining mark above a base. U+2090 is a dedicated subscript letter character.
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Did you know?
Lowercase A Latin Subscript is Unicode U+2090 (decimal 8336) — LATIN SUBSCRIPT SMALL LETTER A in Superscripts and Subscripts. HTML5 has no named entity — use ₐ or ₐ. It is a standalone subscript glyph, not combining mark U+0363 and not the same as <sub>a</sub> markup.
