HTML Entity for Middle Dot (·)

Beginner

5 min read

Updated: Sep 2026

1 example

Unicode U+00B7

HTML Entity for middle dot (U+00B7) tutorial illustration

Definition

What Is the Middle Dot Entity?

Middle dot (·) is Unicode U+00B7 — also called an interpunct. HTML5 provides ·. Use it as a lightweight separator, not as a sentence-ending period.

Remember

Character     ·
Unicode       U+00B7
Named entity  &middot;
Hex entity    &#xB7;
Decimal       &#183;
CSS escape    \00B7

Named, hex, decimal, CSS, and a typed character all produce the same glyph: ·.

Reference

Quick Reference

One table for every form you will actually use.

Form	Code	Where it goes
Named entity	`·`	HTML markup (preferred)
Direct character	`·`	UTF-8 HTML text
Hex entity	`·`	HTML markup
Decimal entity	`·`	HTML markup
CSS escape	`\00B7`	Stylesheet `content`

When to Use Which

Situation	Use
Inline separators and labels	`·` (clearest HTML form)
Need an entity in HTML source	`·`, `·`, or `·`
Generated text via `::before` / `::after`	`content: "\00B7"`
List bullets	Prefer `•` (•) or CSS `list-style`
Sentence punctuation	Use period `.` — not middle dot

See it

Live Preview

Middle dot as a separator and typography mark.

Separator Red · Green · Blue

Large glyph ·

Named entity · → ·

vs . and • · | . | •

With entities Named: · | Hex: · | Decimal: ·

Code

Complete HTML Example

One page that shows the middle dot with named, hex, decimal, and CSS forms. Use View Output or open the live editor.

Named + Hex + Decimal + CSS

Four ways to produce · in a single document.

html

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <title>Middle Dot (·)</title>
  <style>
    #point::after {
      content: "\00B7";
    }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <p>Using Named Entity: &middot;</p>
  <p>Using Hex Code: &#xB7;</p>
  <p>Using HTML Code: &#183;</p>
  <p id="point">Using CSS Entity: </p>
  <p>Separator: Red &middot; Green &middot; Blue</p>
</body>
</html>

Try It Yourself

How It Works

1. Named: · is the clearest HTML form and renders ·.

2. Hex: U+00B7 → · in HTML. Same result as the named entity.

3. Decimal: same code point as 183 → ·. Same result as hex and named.

4. CSS: use \00B7 in content (not an HTML entity). #point::after appends that · after the paragraph text.

Pitfalls & Tips

Common mistakes when working with the middle dot.

Prefer

Use `·`

The named entity is clearer than numeric forms and is defined in HTML5.

Not .

Not a period

Sentence endings still use .. Middle dot sits vertically centered and is for separators.

vs •

Not a bullet

• (•) is larger and meant for lists. · is lighter for inline dividers.

CSS vs HTML

Do not mix escapes

\00B7 belongs in CSS. · / · / · belong in HTML.

Encoding

Declare UTF-8

If you type · directly, keep <meta charset="UTF-8"> so the file is not misread.

Semicolon

End references

Always finish with ; — write ·, not &middot.

Compatibility

Browser Support

Middle dot (U+00B7) and its entity forms (·, ·, ·, CSS \\00B7) are supported in all mainstream browsers.

✓ Universal support

Middle Dot (·)

Encode with named, hex, decimal, or CSS escape — or type · directly in UTF-8 HTML.

100% Browser coverage

Google Chrome Supported

Yes

Microsoft Edge Supported

Yes

Mozilla Firefox Supported

Yes

Apple Safari Supported

Yes

Opera Supported

Yes

Internet Explorer IE 9+

Yes*

U+00B7 / · Full support

Bottom line: Prefer · in HTML. Use \\00B7 only inside CSS content.

Remember

Key Takeaways

Unicode: middle dot is U+00B7 (decimal 183).
HTML: prefer · (also · / ·).
CSS: use \00B7 inside content for generated text.
Use case: separators — not period . and not bullet •.

One line: U+00B7 → prefer · (also · / · / CSS \00B7).

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I display the middle dot in HTML using entities?

Use · (named), · (hex), · (decimal), or the CSS escape \00B7 in the content property. All render ·. Prefer · in HTML source.

What is the Unicode value for the middle dot?

U+00B7 (MIDDLE DOT). Hex 00B7, decimal 183. It belongs to the Latin-1 Supplement block and is also called an interpunct.

Is there a named HTML entity for U+00B7?

Yes. · is the common HTML5 named entity for ·. HTML5 also defines · and · for the same character.

When should I use this HTML entity?

Use it for inline separators (Red · Green · Blue), math multiplication dots, Catalan geminated L (l·l), and typography accents.

What is the difference between HTML code and CSS entity for U+00B7?

HTML entities (·, ·, or ·) go in markup. The CSS escape \00B7 is used in stylesheets (usually in the content property of ::before/::after). Both render ·.

Is · the same as a period or a bullet?

No. Period is . (U+002E). Bullet is • (•, U+2022). Middle dot is · (·, U+00B7).

Did you know?

Middle dot is Unicode U+00B7 (decimal 183) — MIDDLE DOT (interpunct) in Latin-1 Supplement. HTML5 provides · (also ·). Handy for separators and Catalan l·l. Not a period (.) and not a bullet (•).

Next: Midline Horizontal Ellipsis

Continue with the midline horizontal ellipsis entity tutorial.

Ellipsis tutorial →

About the author

Mari Selvan M P 🔗

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Experience 12 years building web and cloud systems
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