square bracket: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
MediumFormal, Technical, Academic
Quick answer
What does “square bracket” mean?
A punctuation mark, either of the pair [ or ], used to enclose words, figures, or other textual elements.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A punctuation mark, either of the pair [ or ], used to enclose words, figures, or other textual elements.
In computing, one of the square-shaped characters used to denote array indices, list items, or specific syntactic structures in programming languages and markup.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
British English more commonly uses 'square bracket' to distinguish from 'round bracket'. American English, especially in general use, may use 'bracket' alone for square brackets.
Connotations
No significant difference in connotation; both are neutral technical terms.
Frequency
More frequent in British English due to the explicit disambiguation. In American academic/editorial style, equally frequent.
Grammar
How to Use “square bracket” in a Sentence
[Use] square brackets around XX is enclosed in square brackets.The square brackets indicate Y.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “square bracket” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Please square-bracket the author's clarification.
- The editor square-bracketed the omitted text.
American English
- You should bracket that insertion with square brackets.
- The text was bracketed for clarity.
adverb
British English
- The comment was added square-bracketed.
adjective
British English
- Follow the square-bracket notation in the style guide.
- It was a square-bracket convention.
American English
- Use the square bracket style for interpolations.
- Check the square-bracket entries in the index.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. May appear in formal reports or specifications, e.g., 'See note [3.2] in the appendix.'
Academic
Common. Used for citations, editorial insertions, and clarifying quoted material, e.g., 'The author stated "they [the government] were responsible."'
Everyday
Uncommon. Most non-specialists simply say 'bracket'.
Technical
Very common. Fundamental in programming, mathematics, and linguistics to denote arrays, intervals, or phonological units, e.g., 'list[0]' or '[kæt]'.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “square bracket”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “square bracket”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “square bracket”
- Using square brackets where parentheses are required for asides.
- Mismatching an open square bracket [ with a close parenthesis ).
- Pronouncing it as 'squared bracket'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Parentheses ( ) are for general asides, explanations, or references. Square brackets [ ] are primarily for editorial insertions or clarifications within quoted material, and in technical fields like computing and mathematics.
In many contexts, especially American English, yes. However, for clarity—particularly with round ( ), curly { }, or angle < > brackets—it's better to specify 'square bracket'.
On most keyboards, the open square bracket [ is to the right of the 'P' key, and the close square bracket ] is next to it. You typically press the key while holding the 'Shift' key.
Yes, their grammatical and editorial function is identical. The main difference is terminological frequency, with British English more often using the full term 'square bracket' for clarity.
A punctuation mark, either of the pair [ or ], used to enclose words, figures, or other textual elements.
Square bracket is usually formal, technical, academic in register.
Square bracket: in British English it is pronounced /skweə ˈbrækɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /skwɛr ˈbrækɪt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[no common idioms]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a picture frame - it's square and encloses something. Square brackets [ ] are like a square frame for words or numbers.
Conceptual Metaphor
A CONTAINER (for extra information or technical instructions).
Practice
Quiz
In which programming construct are square brackets most essential?