“Lemniscate” Is the Word for the Infinity-Symbol Shape

The sideways figure-eight shape used as the infinity symbol is a lemniscate (lem-NIS-kit or lem-NIS-kayt). The word comes from a Greek word meaning “ribbon” or “bow,” a nod to the shape’s resemblance to a tied ribbon. It also turns up in mathematics, though informal labels such as drunk eight or dead eight get the picture across too. This is part of a complete episode.

If you need a term to describe the shape of the infinity symbol, there is one. I didn’t realize this until recently. It’s a drunk eight or a dead eight, I guess. But you can also say that that shape is lemnisket l-e-m-n-i-s-c-a-t-e lemnisket.

Oh, you’re going to tell me more about that word, right? Lemnisket. I am because the word goes back to a Greek word that means a ribbon or bow because it looks like a bow. Oh yeah, it sure does. Yeah, absolutely does. So that describes that that fallen over eight infinity symbol.

Anything else that we might have that like? Would you describe the ribbons used for charities and causes, like, you know, the pink bows or pink ribbons as limnisket because they look like ribbons?

No, I know that there are shapes like that that are formed when you’re doing certain kinds of mathematical equations. The term is used in mathematics, but I just love that there’s a word for that particular shape, limnisket.

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