Degree sign

How to type it

Mac: Shift + Option + 8. Windows: Alt + 0176 on the number pad.

Common uses

• The degree sign follows a temperature, as in 72° or 20°C.
• It also marks angles and map coordinates, such as a 90° turn or 40° north latitude.

Less common uses

• Two lookalikes exist: the masculine ordinal º, which is underlined in some fonts, and the ring accent ˚.
• Using the right degree sign matters for search and screen readers, which treat º and ° as different characters.
• Degrees of latitude and longitude are further divided into minutes and seconds, written with the marks ′ and ″.