Bullet

Also called bullet point.

How to type it

Mac: Option + 8. Windows: Alt + 0149 on the number pad.

Common uses

• Bullets mark the items in an unordered list, such as a menu of options or a résumé.
• Some writers use a bullet as a separator between short items, as in Home • About • Contact.

Less common uses

• The bullet • is a different character from the middle dot ·, which is smaller and used in other ways.
• Word processors usually turn a line that starts with an asterisk or hyphen and a space into a bulleted list.
• Password fields commonly show typed characters as bullets so that nobody can read them over your shoulder.