Overline

Overline

An overline is a typographical feature that consists of a horizontal line drawn above the text. It is used in various contexts, including mathematics, linguistics, and religious texts. In the context of religious texts, such as the Bible, overlines can be used to denote special significance or to highlight certain passages.

An example of an overline in a Persian Bible.

Usage in Mathematics

In mathematics, an overline is often used to indicate a repeating decimal or to denote the complex conjugate of a number. For example, the repeating decimal 0.333... can be written as \( \overline{0.3} \), and the complex conjugate of \( z \) is denoted as \( \overline{z} \).

Usage in Linguistics

In linguistics, overlines can be used to indicate stress or intonation patterns in phonetic transcription. They may also be used to denote morphemes or other linguistic units in certain languages.

Usage in Religious Texts

In religious texts, such as the Bible, overlines can be used to highlight specific words or phrases. This is particularly common in manuscripts and illuminated texts, where overlines may serve as a form of emphasis or annotation.

Related Pages

• Underline
• Typography
• Bible
• Mathematics
• Linguistics