amper

2 definitions found

amper - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  ampersand
  amper
  
     <character> "&" ASCII character 38.
  
     Common names: ITU-T, INTERCAL: ampersand; amper; and.
     Rare: address (from C); reference (from C++); bitand;
     background (from sh); pretzel; amp.
  
     A common symbol for "and", used as the "address of" operator
     in C, the "reference" operator in C++ and a bitwise
     AND operator in several programming languages.
  
     UNIX shells use the character to indicate that a task
     should be run in the background.
  
     The ampersand is a ligature (combination) of the cursive
     letters "e" and "t", invented in 63 BC by Marcus Tirus [Tiro?]
     as shorthand for the Latin word for "and", "et".
  
     The word ampersand is a conflation (combination) of "and, per
     se and".  Per se means "by itself", and so the phrase
     translates to "&, standing by itself, means 'and'".  This was
     at the end of the alphabet as it was recited by children in
     old English schools.  The words ran together and were
     associated with "&".  The "ampersand" spelling dates from
     1837.
  
     Take our word for it (http://takeourword.com/Issue010.html)
     .
  
     (2000-10-28)
  

amper - Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003) :

  amper
   n.
  
     Common abbreviation for the name of the ampersand (`&', ASCII
  0100110)
     character. See ASCII for other synonyms.