Lambda Symbol (λ)
The lambda symbol λ is Unicode U+03BB, the Greek letter for wavelength and anonymous functions. Press Copy to put it on your clipboard.
- Unicode
U+03BB- HTML
λ- Word
03BB Alt+X
How to type the lambda symbol (λ)
The quickest way is to press Copy above and paste. To type λ yourself, use the method for your device below.
Windows
- In Word or Outlook, type 03BB and press Alt + X. Alt + X converts the hex code before the cursor into the character, and back again.
- Press Win + R, type charmap and press Enter. Tick “Advanced view”, search for Greek Small Letter Lamda, then Select and Copy. Character Map is built into every version of Windows.
Mac
- Press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer, search for lambda and double-click it.
- With the Unicode Hex Input keyboard enabled (System Settings → Keyboard → Input Sources), hold Option and type 03BB.
Linux & ChromeOS
- Press Ctrl + Shift + U, type 3bb, then press Enter or Space. Works in GTK and IBus apps (GNOME, Firefox, Chrome, LibreOffice) and on ChromeOS.
iPhone & iPad
- Copy λ from this page, then go to Settings → General → Keyboard → Text Replacement and add it with a shortcut such as ;lamb. The shortcut then turns into the symbol as you type, in every app.
Android
- Copy λ here, then open Gboard settings → Dictionary → Personal dictionary and add it with a shortcut.
Microsoft Word
- Type 03BB, then press Alt + X.
- Insert → Symbol → More Symbols. Set “from” to Unicode (hex), type 03BB in “Character code” and click Insert.
Google Docs
- Insert → Special characters, then search for “lambda” or draw it in the box.
Excel & Google Sheets
- Enter
=UNICHAR(955)in a cell. It works in Excel 2013 and later and in Google Sheets.
HTML
- Write
λorλin your HTML.
What does λ mean?
Lambda (λ, capital Λ) is the eleventh letter of the Greek alphabet, pronounced “LAM-duh”. Unicode spells its official name LAMDA, following the modern Greek spelling, so search for both if a character picker does not find it.
λ is one of the busiest symbols in science. It stands for wavelength in physics (λ = 650 nm for red light), eigenvalues in linear algebra, the decay constant in radioactivity and the arrival rate in queueing theory. In computing, Alonzo Church’s lambda calculus gave its name to anonymous “lambda” functions in Python, Java and C#, and to AWS Lambda. Gamers know the orange λ as the logo of the Half-Life series.
Common uses
- Optics: c = λf, the speed of light equals wavelength times frequency
- Linear algebra: Av = λv
- Programming: lambda x: x * 2 in Python
- Nuclear physics: N = N₀e−λt
Lambda Symbol codes for HTML, CSS and programming
Every code below produces λ. Use the HTML entity in web pages, the CSS escape in content, and the escape sequence in source code.
| Unicode code point | U+03BB | |
|---|---|---|
| HTML entity (named) | λ | |
| HTML decimal | λ | |
| HTML hex | λ | |
| CSS content | content: "\3BB"; | |
| JavaScript | "\u03BB" | |
| Python | "\u03BB" | |
| Python (by name) | "\N{GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA}" | |
| Java / C# | "\u03BB" | |
| LaTeX | \lambda | |
| UTF-8 bytes | CE BB | |
| UTF-16 | 03BB | |
| URL encoded | %CE%BB |
λ vs look-alike characters
These characters look similar to λ but have a different meaning and code. Pasting the wrong one can break search, sorting and screen readers.
| Char | Name | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
Greek capital LamdaU+039B | Greek capital Lambda (U+039B), an upside-down V shape used for the cosmological constant. | |
Lambda with StrokeU+019B | Latin small letter lambda with stroke (U+019B), used in some Native American orthographies. | |
Circumflex AccentU+005E | The caret. Not a lambda, although a capital Λ is sometimes improvised with it. |
Symbols similar to λ
Click to copy, or open a symbol for its codes. See the full greek letters collection.
- Greek Alpha Details
- Greek Beta Details
- Greek Gamma Details
- Greek Epsilon Details
- Greek Zeta Details
- Greek Eta Details
- Greek Theta Details
- Greek Iota Details
- Greek Kappa Details
- Greek Mu Details
- Greek Nu Details
- Greek Xi Details
- Greek Omicron Details
- Greek Pi Details
- Greek Rho Details
- Greek Tau Details
- Greek Upsilon Details
- Greek Phi Details
- Greek Chi Details
λ character properties
- Official Unicode name
- GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA
- Also known as
- lambda, greek letter lambda, lamda
- Code point
- U+03BB
- Unicode block
- Greek and Coptic (U+0370–U+03FF)
- General category
- Lowercase letter (Ll)
- Added in
- Unicode 1.1 (1993)
- Plane
- Basic Multilingual Plane (0)
- Emoji
- No, it is a text symbol
Frequently asked questions
What does λ mean in physics?
Most often wavelength, the distance between two peaks of a wave. It is also used for the radioactive decay constant.
Why is it spelled “lamda” in Unicode?
The Unicode name follows the modern Greek spelling λάμδα, without the b. Both spellings refer to the same letter, U+03BB.
Is there an alt code for the lambda symbol?
No. λ is outside the Windows-1252 and code page 437 character sets, so no Alt + number code produces it. Copy it from this page, type 03BB then Alt + X in Word, or find it in Character Map.
How do I type the lambda symbol on a Mac?
There is no single Option shortcut for λ on the US layout. Press Control + Command + Space to open the Character Viewer, search for “lambda” and double-click it, or copy it from this page.
What is the HTML code for the lambda symbol?
Use the named entity λ or the numeric reference λ (hex λ). All three display λ in every browser.
What is the Unicode for the lambda symbol?
λ is U+03BB, officially named GREEK SMALL LETTER LAMDA, in the Greek and Coptic block. It has been part of Unicode since version 1.1 (1993).