Exclamation mark
punctuation mark (!) to show strong feelings
The exclamation mark, !, (also known as the exclamation point in American English) is a punctuation mark usually used after an interjection, an exclamation, or a noise to indicate strong feelings (e.g. surprise, humour, anger), a loud sound (e.g. Bang!), or to show emphasis. The exclamation mark often marks the end of a sentence.
A bare exclamation mark (with nothing before or after) is frequently used in warning signs.
The exclamation mark likely came from the word io, used to show joy and surprise. Writers made a set of changes to io turned it into the exclamation mark. In the mid-14th century the Italian writer, Iacopo Alpoleio da Urbisaglia created the exclamation mark bothered when readers read emotional text without emotion.
Other uses include:
In mathematics, it denotes the factorial operation and shriek maps.
In computer science, several computer languages use !
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Exclamation mark” as punctuation mark (!) to show strong feelings. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the general reference register because the source frames it as punctuation mark (!) to show strong feelings. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
The citation trail is more important than the brevity of the summary: it shows where individual claims can be examined in context. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 16, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q166764. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
A concise general-reference account can conceal disagreements about scope, terminology or the weight assigned to individual sources. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.
- Subject orientation
- Search vocabulary
- Locating named sources
The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Exclamation mark”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Exclamation mark primary sources, Exclamation mark archive and Exclamation research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Exclamation mark”?
- Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
- Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Exclamation mark” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.