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AE Ligature (Æ) Symbol (æ)
Æ (æ) is the 'ash' ligature — an A and E fused into one letter, used in Old English, Danish, Norwegian and Icelandic words.
AE Ligature (Æ) codes
| Code | Value |
|---|---|
| Unicode code point | U+00E6 |
| Unicode name | Latin Small Letter Ae |
| HTML named entity | æ |
| HTML decimal | æ |
| HTML hex | æ |
| CSS content code | \E6 |
| JavaScript / JSON | \u00E6 |
| Windows Alt code | No standard Alt code — copy it from the card above |
AE Ligature (Æ) variants (4)
4 related glyphs — click any tile to copy it. Tiles with a page open that symbol's own page.
Meaning & usage
Æ began as a scribe's shortcut, the letters A and E sharing strokes, and became a true letter of several alphabets: Danish and Norwegian words like 'ærgerlig', Icelandic 'æðislegt', and Old English manuscripts where it earned the name æsc, 'ash'. English keeps it decoratively in words like encyclopædia (British style) and in names and brands that want an old-world flavour. The lowercase æ is the useful one; the capital Æ lives in the variants.
Examples in use
- encyclopædia (traditional British spelling)
- Æthelred the Unready
- Danish: æble (apple)
How to type the ae ligature (æ)
Windows
There is no Alt code or direct key for æ. In Microsoft Word, type 00E6 and press Alt+X to convert it. Everywhere else, click the Copy button at the top of this page and paste it (Ctrl+V) — that always works.
Mac
There is no Option-key shortcut for æ on a Mac. Open the Character Viewer with Control+Command+Space, search for "AE Ligature (Æ)", and double-click to insert — or copy it from this page.
iPhone & Android
Most phone keyboards have no built-in key for æ. Open this page on your phone, tap Copy, then paste it into your message or bio. (On Android, Gboard's emoji search finds some symbols by name.)
Linux
Press Ctrl+Shift+U, type 00e6 and press Enter (works in most GTK apps and terminals with IBus). Or copy it from this page.
Frequently asked questions
How do I type æ on a keyboard?
On Windows, hold Alt and type 0230 on the numeric keypad. On a Mac, press Option+' (apostrophe). On phones, long-press the A key. Or copy æ here.
How is æ pronounced?
In Danish and Old English it sounds like the 'a' in 'cat'. Icelandic pronounces it more like 'eye'. English decorative use is usually just a spelling style.
Why does æ sometimes show as a box or question mark?
The box (called tofu) means the device or font viewing it has no drawing for U+00E6 (Latin Small Letter Ae). The character itself is fine — try a different font or a newer device, or use one of the variants on this page.
Is the AE Ligature (Æ) free to use?
Yes. æ is a standard Unicode text character published in the Unicode Character Database. You may use it in personal and commercial documents, designs and products without permission or payment.
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Data: Unicode Character Database · Page updated 2026-11-13