A symbol that looks like a minus sign (−) and is used in math to show subtraction or in editing to show that something should be removed.
In math, an obelus helps us take away numbers. In editing, it helps us take away words.
Examples:
She used an obelus to show that 5 minus 3 equals 2.
In the book, the editor put an obelus next to the sentence that needed to be removed.
The obelus is like a minus sign, but it is used for something different.
The obelus is like a secret code for taking things away.
The obelus is like a magic wand that makes words disappear.
The obelus is like a little helper that tells us what to take away.