At the rate symbol: History of the At Sign

History of the At Sign Origin: Historically used in accounting and commercial invoices to mean ' at the rate of'. Early Use: Used in Catalan, Spanish, and Portuguese as an abbreviation of arroba, a unit of weight equivalent to 25 pounds. It derives from the Arabic "the quarter" (pronounced ar-rub?). Historical Examples: A symbol resembling @ is found in the Spanish "Taula de Ariza" from 1448. An Italian document from 1536 shows the @ symbol used in mercantile contexts. Modern Recognition ... Learn how the @ symbol , also known as the at sign, was used in email and commerce, and what it means in different languages. Discover its origin, evolution and variations from Latin to Arabic. Learn the history and usage of the at sign (@), also known as the at symbol or commercial at , in accounting, email, and online communication. Find out how the at sign originated as a shorthand for " at a rate of" and how it is used today. The At symbol (@) is one of the most widely recognized symbols in the digital world. Originally used in accounting and commerce to mean “ at the rate of,” it became globally popular with the rise of email and social media. Today, the @ symbol is used for email addresses, social media tagging, coding, and various keyboard shortcuts.