HTML Entity for Period (.)

Beginner

6 min read

Updated: Sep 2026

1 example

Unicode U+002E

HTML Entity for period (.) tutorial illustration

Definition

What Is the Period Entity?

Period (.) is the Basic Latin character at Unicode U+002E (FULL STOP). It ends sentences and marks abbreviations. HTML5 provides the named entity &period;; you can also type . directly.

Remember

Character     .
Unicode       U+002E
Named entity  &period;
Hex entity    &#x2E;  (or &#x002E;)
Decimal       &#46;
CSS escape    \002E

All of these produce the same glyph: .. Prefer typing . or &period; for readable HTML.

Reference

Quick Reference

One table for every form you will actually use.

Form	Code	Where it goes
Named entity	`&period;`	HTML markup
Hex entity	`.`	HTML markup (also `.`)
Decimal entity	`.`	HTML markup
Direct character	`.`	HTML text (UTF-8 default)
CSS escape	`\002E`	Stylesheet `content` (padded)

When to Use Which

Situation	Use
Everyday sentences	Type `.` or use `&period;`
Numeric entity required	`.` or `.`
Generated text via `::before` / `::after`	`content: "\002E"`
Ellipsis (one character)	`…` (`…`)
Centered / middle dot	`·` (`·`)

See it

Live Preview

Period rendered in common contexts.

Glyph .

Large glyph .

In a sentence Hello world.

With entities Named: . | Hex: . | Decimal: .

Related marks … (…) · · (·) · 。

Code

Complete HTML Example

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

Named + Hex + Decimal + Direct + CSS

Five ways to produce . in a single document.

html

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <title>Period (.) in HTML</title>
  <style>
    #point::after {
      content: "\002E";
    }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <p>Using Named Entity: &period;</p>
  <p>Using Hex Code: &#x2E;</p>
  <p>Using Decimal: &#46;</p>
  <p>Using Direct Character: .</p>
  <p id="point">Using CSS Entity: </p>
  <p>Sentence: Hello world&period;</p>
</body>
</html>

Try It Yourself

How It Works

1. Named: &period; is the clearest named form for U+002E.

2. Hex: U+002E → . (or .) in HTML.

3. Decimal: same code point as 46 → .. Same glyph.

4. Direct: type . in a UTF-8 file — it is safe in HTML text.

5. CSS: use padded \002E in content so the next character is not read as part of the hex escape.

Pitfalls & Tips

Common mistakes when working with this punctuation entity.

Not …

Ellipsis is different

Three typed periods ... are three characters. One ellipsis is … (U+2026).

Not ·

Middle dot ≠ period

· sits higher and is used as a separator. Sentence endings use . / &period;.

CSS pad

Prefer `\002E`

A short \2E can absorb the next hex digit. Pad to four digits: \002E.

CSS vs HTML

Do not mix escapes

\002E belongs in CSS. &period; / . / . belong in HTML.

Semicolon

End references

Always finish with ; — write &period;, not &period.

Classes

CSS class names

In CSS selectors, . starts a class. That is syntax — not the same as printing a period character in content.

Compatibility

Browser Support

Period (U+002E) and its entity forms (&period;, ., ., CSS \\002E) are supported in all mainstream browsers.

✓ Universal support

Period (.)

Prefer typing . or &period;, or encode with hex, decimal, or CSS escape — same glyph everywhere.

100% Browser coverage

Google Chrome Supported

Yes

Microsoft Edge Supported

Yes

Mozilla Firefox Supported

Yes

Apple Safari Supported

Yes

Opera Supported

Yes

Internet Explorer All versions

Yes

U+002E / entities Full support

Bottom line: Prefer typing . or &period; in HTML. Use . / . when a numeric form is required, and padded \\002E only inside CSS content.

Remember

Key Takeaways

Unicode: full stop / period is U+002E (decimal 46), Basic Latin.
HTML: type . or use &period; / . / ..
CSS: use padded \002E inside content.
Not the same: … (ellipsis) or · (middle dot).

One line: U+002E → . / &period; / . / . / CSS \002E.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I display the period (.) in HTML using entities?

Use &period; (named), . or . (hex), . (decimal), type . in UTF-8, or the CSS escape \002E in content. All render .

What is the Unicode value for period / full stop?

U+002E (FULL STOP). Hex 2E / 002E, decimal 46. It belongs to Basic Latin and ends sentences or marks abbreviations.

Is there a named HTML entity for .?

Yes. HTML5 defines &period;. You can also use . or ., or simply type . in a UTF-8 document — the period is not a reserved HTML markup character.

When should I use the period HTML entity?

Use it for sentence endings and abbreviations. Prefer typing . or &period; for readable source. For three dots as one character, use … (…). For a centered dot, use ·.

What is the difference between HTML code and CSS entity for .?

HTML entities (&period;, ., or .) go in markup. The CSS escape \002E is used in stylesheets (usually in the content property of ::before/::after). Prefer the padded form \002E so the next digit is not swallowed.

How is . different from … or ·?

. (U+002E) is a single full stop. … (U+2026, …) is an ellipsis. · (U+00B7, ·) is a middle dot. They look similar at a glance but are different characters.

Did you know?

Period (.) is Unicode U+002E (decimal 46) — FULL STOP in Basic Latin (also called period in American English). HTML5 provides &period;. You can also type . directly. Do not confuse it with ellipsis … (…) or middle dot · (·).

Next: Permanent Paper Sign

Learn the HTML entity for the permanent paper sign — the next character in this entity sequence.

Permanent Paper Sign tutorial →

About the author

Mari Selvan M P 🔗

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Experience 12 years building web and cloud systems
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HTML Entity | Percent Sign HTML Entity | Permanent Paper Sign