Empty set symbol (∅) in LaTeX

Empty set symbol (∅)

Set theory

∅

LaTeX command

\emptyset

base LaTeX, often rendered as a slashed zero

Use inside math mode: $\emptyset$ — base LaTeX, KaTeX and MathJax

Base LaTeX's \emptyset looks like a slashed zero in Computer Modern. amssymb's \varnothing is the circle-with-slash most authors prefer. KaTeX renders both.

All ways to write it

Command	Use	Package
`\emptyset`	base LaTeX, often rendered as a slashed zero	none
`\varnothing`	the rounder ∅ most people prefer	amssymb
`\{\}`	literal empty braces	none

Commands marked with a package need that \usepackage line in a LaTeX document.

Example

A \cap A^c = \varnothing

A set and its complement are disjoint.

Questions

\emptyset or \varnothing?

They mean the same thing. \varnothing (amssymb) is the nicer glyph; \emptyset needs no package.

Related symbols

Intersection ∩ \cap
Union ∪ \cup
Subset ⊆ \subseteq

Using empty set in Confluence

Confluence Cloud has no built-in LaTeX. With LaTeX Math for Confluence you add a math macro to any page, type \emptyset and it renders inline or as a block, with a live preview while you edit. Every command on this page renders there without extra packages.