Phrase guide

em dash

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

The symbol (—) (used to demarcate a parenthetical thought or to indicate a break, or for emphasis); a one-em or long dash.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: media, publishing, typography

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: em rule, m-rule, mutton dash

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

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.

Across languages

Translations

20 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Czech: dlouhá pomlčka — typographical symbol '—'
  • Dutch: heel kastlijntje — typographical symbol '—'
  • Finnish: m-viiva — typographical symbol '—'
  • Finnish: pitkä ajatusviiva — typographical symbol '—'
  • French: tiret cadratin — typographical symbol '—'
  • German: Geviertstrich — typographical symbol '—'
  • Greek: διπλή παύλα (diplí pávla) — typographical symbol '—'
  • Hungarian: kvirtmínusz — typographical symbol '—'
  • Icelandic: þankastrik — typographical symbol '—'
  • Irish: eim-dais — typographical symbol '—'
  • Italian: lineetta emme — typographical symbol '—'
  • Macedonian: долга црта (dolga crta) — typographical symbol '—'
  • Persian: تمامخط (tamâm-xat) — typographical symbol '—'
  • Polish: pauza — typographical symbol '—'
  • Portuguese: travessão — typographical symbol '—'
  • Russian: тире́ (tirɛ́) — typographical symbol '—'
  • Spanish: raya — typographical symbol '—'
  • Swedish: långt tankstreck — typographical symbol '—'
  • Swedish: helfyrkantsminus — typographical symbol '—'
  • Tagalog: gatlang em — typographical symbol '—'