| pilcrow (¶) |
| Definition:
The name of the ¶ symbol. It is used: (1) to designate a new paragraph (2) in word processors to visually indicate where the paragraph unit ends (3) in proofreading to show that a paragraph should be split into multiple paragraphs Note: You insert the pilcrow where you want the new paragraph to begin. |
| Etymology: According to the OED, it perhaps originated as the word pylcraft, which was a corrupted form of the word paragraph; however, "the history of the word is obscure, and evidence is wanting." |
| Oxford English Dictionary: The word's first citation is from circa 1440: "Pylcrafte, yn a booke … asteriscus, paragraphus." (Promp. Parv. 398/1) |