How do you make a dagger(†, and ‡) symbol in LaTeX?

If you need to insert the † symbol in LaTeX but are unsure how, don’t worry! These small details can sometimes be tricky.

This guide will help you easily add both the single (†) and double (‡) dagger symbols in LaTeX. Let’s get started!

Dagger Symbol

To insert this symbol in LaTeX, simply use the \dag or \dagger command. The best part is that no extra packages are required!

Here’s an example:

\( \dag  \) \\ [6pt]
\( \dagger \) \\[6pt]
% In text mode
\textdagger

Output:

Double dagger symbol

Now, let’s discuss the ‡ symbol. Though less common, it is useful in specific cases, such as mathematical matrices or Hermitian adjoints.

To insert it, use the \ddag or \ddagger command. In text mode, you can also use \textdaggerdbl. Here’s an example:

\( \ddag  \) \\ [6pt]
\( \ddagger \)\\[6pt]
% ‡ symbol in text mode
\textdaggerdbl

Output:

Use of the Dagger Symbol as a Superscript

In mathematics, this symbol is commonly used for the Hermitian adjoint, representing the complex conjugate transpose. Here are some examples.

\[ \textit{A}^\dag = \textit{A} \]
\[ \langle P|\alpha\; as \; \alpha^\dag |P\rangle \]
\[ (\tilde{\textit{A}} \tilde{\textit{B}})^\dag = \tilde{\textit{B}}^\dag \tilde{\textit{A}}^\dag , \]
\[ (\tilde{\textit{A}} \tilde{\textit{B}} \cdots \tilde{\textit{Z}})^\dag = \tilde{\textit{Z}}^\dag \cdots \tilde{\textit{B}}^\dag \tilde{\textit{A}}^\dag \]

Output: