slash
The slanted mark (/), also called a forward slash or virgule.
A slash separates alternatives or paired terms that work as a unit, with no space on either side: pass/fail, the owner/operator. It also separates the parts of a date or a fraction in informal or technical text, such as 10/16/2026 and 3/4, and it divides the parts of a web address: usagedictionary.com/entries. The one exception to the no-space rule is quoted poetry or song lyrics run into a sentence, where a slash with a space on each side marks a line break: “Hope is the thing with feathers / That perches in the soul.” Each use of the slash has its own entry, listed under Slash.
Examples
UseThe course is graded pass/fail. (The slash separates two alternatives, with no spaces.)
UseShe works as the owner/operator of the shop. (The slash joins two roles held by one person.)