Underline ( _ ), also known as underscore or subtrace, is a graphic symbol used as word separation sign, especially in computer communications where space is not interpreted as valid information.
This character belongs to the call American Standard Code for Information Interchange – ASCII (“American Standard Code for the Exchange of Information”, in Portuguese). In this table, the underscore occupies position number 95 out of a total of 255 special characters.
O underline appeared on typewriters as an alternative to underline the words. After writing a certain sentence, for example, the typist would go back to the beginning and press the “_” button so that what he wanted was underlined.
O underline (or underscore) is used in computer communication as a replacement for the space between words, mainly in email addresses and URL's, as these systems do not interpret whitespace as separating information.
Example:[email protected].
To trigger the underline on most contemporary keyboards and operating systems, just press the key simultaneously shift and the hyphen (-) button.
See also:meaning of at sign.
Difference of underline and underscore
The word "underline” means “underline” in the translation from English to Portuguese.
In the English language, to refer to the use of underline as a graphic sign used in computing, the more correct term is underscore.Underline it refers exclusively to the act of underlining a word, not the symbol as a replacement for white spaces, for example.
In the Portuguese spoken in Brazil, both terms end up having the same meaning, with the difference being only for communications made in the English language.
Learn more about difference between underline and underscore.