Interrobang

Interrobang

inˈterəˌbaNG

Noun

  • A nonstandard punctuation mark (‽) indicating a question expressed in an exclamatory manner, as in “What are you doing‽”

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Example Sentences

“Let’s ask the designer to include an interrobang in the new logo design.”

“The interrobang — a blend of the exclamation and question marks — adds a modern flair to the text.”

“I’m designing a new typeface, and it will include modern symbols such as arrows and the interrobang.”

Word Origin

English, 1960s

Why this word?

Here’s a two-for-one punctuation mark: The interrobang is used at the end of an exclamatory question, combining both an exclamation mark and a question mark into one easy-to-use symbol (‽). It can also be written or typed as “?!” or “!?” if the interrobang symbol is not available on your word processing software (look under “special characters”). Usually, an exclamatory question is rhetorical, such as when a singer demands, “Are you ready to rock‽” The interrobang is relatively new — the portmanteau word has only been around since the 1960s. “Interro” is short for “interrogation point” (another term for a question mark), and “bang” is printer’s slang for an exclamation point.

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