HTML Entity for Combining Overline (̅)
What You'll Learn
How to display the Combining Overline (̅) in HTML and CSS. This character is U+0305 (COMBINING OVERLINE) in the Combining Diacritical Marks block (U+0300–U+036F). It is a nonspacing mark that attaches above the preceding base character—for example x̅ renders as x̅ in math or linguistics notation.
There is no named HTML entity for U+0305. Use ̅, ̅, or \305 in CSS content. Place the mark immediately after the base letter or symbol with no space. Do not confuse with standalone overline U+203E (‾, ‾), double overline U+033F (̿), or CSS text-decoration: overline.
⚡ Quick Reference — Combining Overline
U+0305Combining Diacritical Marks (U+0300–U+036F)
̅Hexadecimal reference
̅Decimal reference
—None for U+0305 (use ‾ for U+203E)
Name Value
──────────── ──────────
Unicode U+0305
Hex code ̅
HTML code ̅
Named entity (none)
CSS code \305
Meaning Combining overline (above base character)
Related U+033F = combining double overline (̿)
U+203E = overline character (‾, ‾)
U+0302 = combining circumflex (̂)
Block Combining Diacritical Marks (U+0300–U+036F)Complete HTML Example
A simple example showing U+0305 using hexadecimal and decimal references, a variable with the overline above, plus a CSS content escape. There is no named HTML entity:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
#point::after{
content: "\305";
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<p>Overline (hex): ̅</p>
<p>Overline (decimal): ̅</p>
<p>With base character: x̅ n̅</p>
<p id="point">Overline (CSS): </p>
</body>
</html>🌐 Browser Support
U+0305 is supported in modern browsers when placed after a base character and rendered with a font that supports Combining Diacritical Marks:
👀 Live Preview
See the combining overline above a base character (math or serif font recommended):
🧠 How It Works
Hexadecimal Code
̅ references code point U+0305 using hex digits 0305. Place it immediately after the base character (e.g. x̅).
Decimal HTML Code
̅ uses the decimal Unicode value 773 for the same combining mark.
CSS Entity
\305 is the CSS escape for U+0305, used in the content property of ::before or ::after.
Overline above base character
Place U+0305 right after the base: x̅. Next: Overline character (‾) with named entity ‾.
Use Cases
The Combining Overline (̅) commonly appears in:
Complement, conjugate, mean, or other quantities with a bar above a variable (e.g. x̅).
Phonetic or phonological notation where an overline marks a specific feature.
Vinculum notation extending over multiple digits in historical or educational content.
Physics, statistics, and engineering pages with overlined symbols.
Character pickers, entity documentation, and combining mark guides.
Use fonts that support combining marks so base + U+0305 renders correctly for all users.
💡 Best Practices
Do
- Place
̅or̅immediately after the base character - Use
<meta charset="utf-8">on pages with combining marks - Choose fonts that support Combining Diacritical Marks (Times, Cambria Math, Noto)
- Use hex or decimal consistently within one document
- Prefer MathML for complex formulas when layout matters
Don’t
- Confuse U+0305 (combining) with U+203E (standalone) or U+033F (double overline)
- Use padded Unicode notation like U+00305—the correct value is
U+0305 - Put a space between the base character and the combining entity
- Expect a named HTML entity for U+0305—use
‾only for U+203E - Confuse this Unicode mark with CSS
text-decoration: overline
Key Takeaways
Two HTML references for the combining mark
̅ ̅For CSS stylesheets, use \305 in the content property
U+0305 Combining Overline — attaches above the preceding character
Standalone overline = U+203E (‾); double = U+033F
Previous: Outlined White Star (⚝) Next: Overline (‾)
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
̅ (hex), ̅ (decimal), or \305 in CSS content. Place the mark right after the base character (e.g. x̅ for x̅). There is no named entity for U+0305.U+0305 (COMBINING OVERLINE). Combining Diacritical Marks block (U+0300–U+036F). Hex 0305, decimal 773. Placed above the base character.text-decoration: overline is a styling property that draws a line above text runs or elements. Use the combining mark when you need a character-level overline in plain text or math notation.‾.x̅ with no space between the base and the entity.Explore More HTML Entities!
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