Not an Element Of ∉

Semantic identity and intent

Characters to distinguish

• ∈ — Element Of

Use ∉ in the right format

Meaning and usage

States that an object does not belong to a set.

Use it to exclude a value or object from a set.

Pronunciation: not an element of

Formula examples

How to type Not an Element Of

Windows

Use Character Map or enter U+2209 in a Unicode-aware app.

macOS

Open Character Viewer with Control–Command–Space and search by name.

Microsoft Word

Type \notin in an equation and press Space.

iPhone and iPad

Copy and paste ∉, or use a math/LaTeX app. The standard iOS keyboard may not expose every mathematical symbol.

Android

Copy and paste ∉, or use a math keyboard or LaTeX editor. Keyboard layouts vary by device and app.

Google Docs

For plain text, paste ∉ or use Insert → Special characters. For structured math, use the equation editor and verify \notin.

Excel

Paste ∉ into a cell or use Insert → Symbol when available. Ordinary cells preserve the character but do not interpret LaTeX commands.

Common mistakes

• Do not confuse membership (∉) with a subset relation; one connects an element to a set, while the other connects two sets.
• For plain text, copy ∉ as U+2209; for structured equations, use \notin in math mode. A look-alike glyph or image can break search, accessibility, or parsing when the intended character is Not an Element Of.

When to use ∉

• Use ∉ in plain text when a Unicode character is appropriate and the destination preserves U+2209.
• Use \notin in an equation editor when mathematical spacing or structure matters.
• Define the local meaning when Not an Element Of is used in set theory with a field-specific convention.

Look-alikes and related characters

• ∈ — Element Of

Font and compatibility notes

Glyph shape can vary by font. Verify the code point after copying, and prefer LaTeX or MathML for structured equations.

Review and source notes

Quality tier: core

Last reviewed: 2026-07-26

Review method: Checked Not an Element Of against its Unicode identity, LaTeX representation, HTML serialization, MathML token, and copy-and-paste behavior.

Verified against: Unicode Standard, Unicode mathematical notation guidance, and established LaTeX/MathML syntax.

Reference sources

• The Unicode StandardUnicode Consortium — Character identity, encoding, names, and conformance.
• Unicode Character Code ChartsUnicode Consortium — Code points and official character charts.
• Unicode Technical Report #25: Unicode Support for MathematicsUnicode Consortium — Mathematical character usage, variants, and notation support.
• LaTeX Project DocumentationThe LaTeX Project — LaTeX syntax, authoring model, and official documentation links.
• MathML CoreW3C — Semantic web mathematics elements and browser behavior.

Frequently asked questions