Lambda Symbol
About Lambda Symbol
λ is the Lambda Symbol, the lowercase form of the 11th letter of the Greek alphabet (Λ / λ). The Lambda Symbol λ is among the most common Greek letters in scientific and technical literature, frequently used for It denotes wavelength, matrix eigenvalues, and is the emblem of lambda calculus and functional programming.
【Pronunciation】 In English, λ is most often pronounced LAM-duh (IPA: /ˈlæmdə/). This is simply the anglicized name of the Greek letter.
The lowercase Lambda Symbol λ is written as a distinct Greek glyph and is assigned codepoint U+03BB in the Greek and Coptic Unicode block. In plain or sans-serif fonts it can be mistaken for the Latin letter l, so verify the typeface or context.
【Historical Origin】 Lambda derives from the Phoenician letter lamed and rose to prominence in computer science during the 20th century.
【Common Uses】 λ is highly active across disciplines: It denotes wavelength, matrix eigenvalues, and is the emblem of lambda calculus and functional programming. It often appears alongside the uppercase Sigma Σ and lowercase Sigma σ in formulas, papers, and engineering drawings.
How to Type Lambda Symbol
Windows Input
Method 1: Hold Alt and type 955 on the numeric keypad, then release Alt to get λ.
Mac Input
Method 2: Press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer, search for 'greek' or 'Lambda Symbol', then select λ.
HTML/CSS Input
Method 3: HTML: λ or λ or λ; CSS: content: "\03BB";
LaTeX Input
Method 4: Use the \lambda command in LaTeX math mode to produce λ.
Lambda Symbol FAQ
How is λ pronounced?
The English pronunciation of λ is LAM-duh (IPA: /ˈlæmdə/). It is the anglicized name of the Greek letter, used directly rather than described as 'lowercase λ'.
What is the difference between λ and the Latin letter l?
λ (U+03BB) is a Greek lowercase letter, whereas l is a Latin letter; their codepoints and glyphs differ. In a proper typeface λ and l are clearly distinct, but in plain text or sans-serif fonts they can be confused, so rely on context.
How do I type λ in Word, web pages, and LaTeX?
On Windows use Alt+955 on the numeric keypad; on Mac open the Character Viewer and search 'greek' or 'Lambda Symbol'; on the web use the HTML entity λ; in LaTeX use \lambda. For bulk use, copy λ directly from this page.