Ellipsis

Also called dot dot dot or suspension points.

How to type it

Mac: Option + ;. Windows: Alt + 0133 on the number pad.

Common uses

• An ellipsis marks words left out of a quotation.
• It also shows a trailing-off voice or a pause in dialogue and text messages.
• Menus put it after a command that opens a dialog, so Save… means a window will follow.

Less common uses

• The ellipsis exists as one character, …, which keeps the three dots evenly spaced and prevents a line break between them.
• Typing three separate periods looks similar, but style guides differ on whether to put spaces between the dots.
• The word ellipsis comes from a Greek word meaning omission, and the plural is ellipses.