Sigma
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Sigma is the eighteenth letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of 200. In general mathematics, uppercase Σ is used as an operator for summation. When used at the end of a letter-case word (one that does not use all caps), the final form (ς) is used. In Template:Lang-grc (Odysseus), for example, the two lowercase sigmas (σ) in the center of the name are distinct from the word-final sigma (ς) at the end. The Latin letter S derives from sigma while the Cyrillic letter Es derives from a lunate form of this letter.
History
The shape (Σς) and alphabetic position of sigma is derived from the Phoenician letter Template:Phoenician letter (shin).
Sigma's original name may have been san, but due to the complicated early history of the Greek epichoric alphabets, san came to be identified as a separate letter in the Greek alphabet, represented as Ϻ.
See also
- Antisigma
- Greek letters used in mathematics, science, and engineering
- Sampi
- Sho (letter)
- Template:Tl − Template to produce the Template:Sigma character
- Stigma (letter)
- Sibilant consonant
- Summation (Σ)
- Combining form "sigm-" (e.g. sigmodon, sigmurethra, etc.)
- Derivative "sigmoid" (e.g. sigmoid sinus, sigmoid colon, sigmoidoscopy, etc.)