Definition
A slanting or upright line ( / ) used as a separator between two words or values, indicating that either one applies, or that the two are paired as a ratio or alternative. Commonly read as 'slash,' 'per,' or 'or' depending on context.
Plain English
The slash mark you see between two words or numbers, like in 'and/or' or 'miles/hour.' It means 'or,' 'per,' or links the two items together.
Context Anchor
Seen in coded weather reports, chart notes, manuals, and other aviation text that uses compact symbols.
Derivation
From the French virgule, meaning 'comma,' which itself came from the Latin virgula, 'a little rod or stripe.' Originally referred to a small slanting line used in early manuscripts as a punctuation mark. Knowing the origin helps explain why a slash and a comma share a similar background -- both are small marks that separate items.
Why Pilots Care
A virgule can change how a coded item is read. Recognizing it as a separator helps prevent reading two separate values as one item.
Intuition Check
Do not confuse virgule with virga. A virgule is the slash mark “/”; virga is precipitation that falls from a cloud but evaporates before reaching the ground.
Example Sentence 1
The chart used a virgule to separate the two altitudes, showing '3,000/5,000' as the minimum and maximum.
Example Sentence 2
In the written clearance the controller used a virgule to show the choice between two routes.