A caret is a small, wedge- or V-shaped mark used in proofreading to show exactly where a letter, word, or punctuation mark should be inserted into text. The same name is used for the ^ symbol on a keyboard, which looks like the proofreader’s mark and appears in math, computing, and code.
What does caret mean?
In editing, the caret is an insertion mark. When a proofreader spots missing text, they place the caret beneath the line at the precise point where the addition belongs, then write the new word or punctuation above it. The mark’s whole job is to say “insert here.” Traditionally it looks like a small upward wedge (‸) written by hand, while the typed keyboard version is the familiar circumflex-like ^.
Where does the word come from?
Caret comes directly from Latin, where caret means it lacks or it is missing, from the verb carere, to lack. The name is perfectly descriptive: the mark points to a spot where something is lacking and needs to be added. The proofreading symbol became more standardized in English printing and proofreading manuals over the 17th and 18th centuries, and the keyboard character later borrowed the name because of its similar shape.
How is the ^ symbol used?
Beyond proofreading, the ^ character has many technical roles. On a standard QWERTY keyboard you type it with Shift plus 6. In mathematics and many programming languages it denotes exponentiation, so 2^3 means two to the power of three. In other coding contexts it can represent a bitwise operation or act as a control character. In regular expressions it often marks the start of a line or negation. These uses are unrelated to editing but share the single symbol.
- The editor added a caret to show where the missing comma should go.
- Type a caret by holding Shift and pressing 6.
- In the formula, 5^2 means five squared.
- She penciled a caret under the line and wrote the extra word above.
Common questions about caret
People sometimes confuse caret with the similar-sounding carat (a unit of gemstone weight), karat (a measure of gold purity), and carrot (the vegetable). Only caret refers to the insertion mark and the ^ symbol. Another common question is why one symbol has so many jobs: the answer is that proofreading, mathematics, and computing each adopted the wedge shape for their own purposes. Reading the context, an edited manuscript, an equation, or a line of code, tells you which meaning applies.
The caret in modern computing
Today most people meet the caret through a keyboard rather than a proofreader’s pen. Beyond exponentiation and regular expressions, the ^ symbol appears in software version numbers, where it signals a range of compatible releases, and in command-line interfaces, where a leading caret can indicate a control key. Some documentation uses it to point upward at the item on the line above, echoing its original “insert here” role. Despite these varied jobs, the shape is always the same small upward wedge, and the name still comes from the Latin idea of something lacking. Recognizing the caret helps whether you are editing prose, writing a formula, or reading code.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a caret?
A small wedge-shaped mark showing where to insert text, and the name of the ^ keyboard symbol.
How do you type a caret?
On most keyboards, press Shift plus the 6 key to produce the ^ character.
What is a caret used for in proofreading?
It marks the exact place where a missing letter, word, or punctuation mark should be inserted.
Where does the word caret come from?
From Latin caret, meaning it lacks or it is missing, describing what the mark signals.