U+2A86 · Math symbol
HTML entity
⪆
LaTeX
\gtrapprox
Greater-Than Or Approximate Symbol ⪆
⪆ is greater-than or approximate. Write it in HTML as ⪆ or paste the character directly. It was added in Unicode 3.2, and Unicode files it under Math symbol.
Codes & technical data
| Unicode | U+2A86 | |
|---|---|---|
| HTML hex | ⪆ | |
| HTML decimal | ⪆ | |
| CSS | \2A86 | |
| JavaScript | \u{2A86} | |
| Python | \U00002A86 | |
| Java / C# | \u2A86 | |
| Rust | \u{2a86} | |
| Swift | \u{2A86} | |
| PHP | \u{2A86} | |
| URL encoded | %E2%AA%86 | |
| UTF-8 bytes | E2 AA 86 | |
| UTF-16 bytes | 2A86 | |
| Base64 | 4qqG | |
| Decimal | 10886 | |
| HTML entity | ⪆ | |
| LaTeX | \gtrapprox | |
| Category | Math symbol (Sm) | |
| Introduced | Unicode 3.2 | |
Will ⪆ survive being pasted?
- Normalisation. Yes. ⪆ is unchanged by NFKC, so it survives normalising systems intact.
- Legacy encodings. ⪆ is Unicode-only — it has no Latin-1 equivalent, so a system stuck on an 8-bit encoding cannot represent it.
- Size. 3 bytes in UTF-8. Character-limited fields — SMS, bios, some form validators — usually count bytes, not characters.
Other approximate characters
Unicode names 4 characters ending in “approximate”. They differ by direction, weight or decoration rather than by meaning.
Nearby in Supplemental Mathematical Operators
A second full block of operators: n-ary forms, integrals with modifiers, and the dense family of comparison relations that differ only in the slant or stroke of the equals bar.
How to type ⪆
| Windows | Type 2A86 then press Alt+X |
|---|---|
| macOS | Press Ctrl+Cmd+Space, then search for “greater-than or approximate” |
| Linux | Press Ctrl+Shift+U, type 2a86, press Enter |
| HTML | ⪆ |
About Unicode’s Math symbol category
Unicode classifies this as a mathematical symbol, which means software that lays out formulas treats it as an operator or relation and gives it spacing accordingly, rather than setting it tight against its neighbours like a letter.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I type the ⪆ greater-than or approximate symbol?
- On Windows, type 2A86 and press Alt+X. On Linux press Ctrl+Shift+U then 2a86. On any system the quickest route is the copy button on this page.
- What is the code for ⪆?
- Greater-Than Or Approximate is U+2A86, written in HTML as ⪆ and in LaTeX as \gtrapprox. In UTF-8 it takes 3 bytes. The table above lists every escape format.
- What kind of character is ⪆?
- Greater-Than Or Approximate is filed under Math symbol in the Supplemental Mathematical Operators block, and was introduced in Unicode 3.2. Unicode classifies this as a mathematical symbol, which means software that lays out formulas treats it as an operator or relation and gives it spacing accordingly, rather than setting it tight against its neighbours like a letter.