Meaning & Definition of word "Tilde"

Tilde

/ˈtɪl dɪ/

1. A diacritical mark (˜) used in various languages, typically placed over a vowel to indicate a specific pronunciation, notably in Spanish and Portuguese.
- Example: The Spanish word 'mañana' features a tilde over the 'n' to denote a palatal nasal sound.
2. In computer programming and mathematics, a tilde is often used to indicate approximation or negation.
- Example: In mathematics, the expression 'x ~ y' means that x is approximately equal to y.
3. In some coding languages, a tilde precedes variables to indicate that they are temporary or to denote a specific scope.
- Example: In shell scripting, the tilde is used to represent the home directory of the user.
4. In markup languages, a tilde can be used for various purposes, such as creating specific formatting.
- Example: In Markdown, using two tildes signifies that a text should be struck through.

From Spanish 'tilde', from Latin 'tilde' meaning 'to mark'.

tilde sign:

Refers specifically to the graphic symbol (~) used in writing.

tilde accent:

Refers to the usage of the tilde as a diacritical mark in certain languages.

diacritical:

Pertaining to a mark added to a letter to indicate a specific pronunciation.

accent:

A mark used to denote stress or intonation in pronunciation.

Meaning: Used playfully in coding to debug or signify errors.

Example Sentence: When I see a tilde in my code, I know something is not right.

Meaning: Describing a quirky style of writing or typing.

Example Sentence: That message was so full of tildes, it felt very casual and fun.