em dash
English · Thesaurus
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em dash
Where it comes from
Named for its width, which is equal to the width of the letter m or M, or approximately twice the width of an en dash.
noun em dashes · emdash · em-dash · m dash
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The symbol (—) (used to demarcate a parenthetical thought or to indicate a break, or for emphasis); a one-em or long dash.
So now, no matter where it’s coming from or why, millions of people recognize the em dash as a sign of zero-effort, low-quality algorithmic slop.
Similar: em rule, m-rule, mutton dash, ChatGPT hyphen
Translations
Every language
noun typographical symbol '—'
| Español | raya |
|---|---|
| 中文 | 長破折號 /长破折号 |
| Português | travessão |
| Français | tiret cadratin |
| Deutsch | Geviertstrich |
| Italiano | lineetta emme |
| Ελληνικά | διπλή παύλα diplí pávla |
| Русский | тире́ tirɛ́ |
Talk about this word "em dash." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/em%20dash. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. em dash. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/em%20dash "em dash." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/em%20dash.Cite this
@misc{em_dash_2026,
title = {em dash},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/em%20dash},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
