Delta in LaTeX

The LaTeX command for delta (δ) is \delta. The capital form Δ is \Delta.

\delta

Greek Lowercase · Unicode δ (U+03B4) · no package needed

Writing a paper? The table generator and the BibTeX cleaner are one click away, no account.

Which command should you use?

Command	Package	Use it when
`\delta` recommended	none	Lowercase: small variations, a radius in epsilon-delta proofs.
`\Delta`	none	Capital: a difference, the discriminant, or the Laplacian.
`\partial`	none	Curly d for partial derivatives (often confused with delta).
`\delta_{ij}`	none	Kronecker delta: 1 when i = j, 0 otherwise.
`\delta(x)`	none	Dirac delta function, as in the integral of f(x) times delta(x).
`\updelta`	`upgreek`	Upright delta, as ISO style asks for the Dirac and Kronecker deltas.
`\varDelta`	`amsmath`	Italic capital delta.

Table 1. Ways to write delta in LaTeX. Every line was compiled with pdfLaTeX (TeX Live 2026) loading only the package shown.

Common mistake. Partial derivatives use \partial, not \delta. For the Laplacian write \Delta f or \nabla^2 f, both standard; \nabla f alone is the gradient, a vector, not the Laplacian.

How to type Delta

Write \delta inside math mode, that is between $…$ for inline math or in a \[ … \] or equation block for display math. It is part of core LaTeX math, so no extra package is required.

Example

$\sum_{j} \delta_{ij} x_j = x_i$

\sum_{j} \delta_{ij} x_j = x_i

Open this example in the live preview: it renders as you type, with no compiler and no signup.

Often confused with

Partial \partial (∂): partial derivative
Nabla \nabla (∇): gradient / del operator
Capital Delta \Delta (Δ)

Related Greek Lowercase symbols

\varphi\chi\psi\omega\alpha\beta\gamma\epsilon\varepsilon\zeta\eta\theta\vartheta\iota

Lowercase Greek letters in LaTeX: the full table or search all 350+ LaTeX symbols.

FAQ

How do you write delta (δ) in LaTeX?

Use \delta in math mode; it needs no extra package. For example, $\sum_{j} \delta_{ij} x_j = x_i$.

Which package provides \delta?

None: \delta is built into LaTeX, so no extra package is required.

What is the most common mistake with delta in LaTeX?

Partial derivatives use \partial, not \delta. For the Laplacian write \Delta f or \nabla^2 f, both standard; \nabla f alone is the gradient, a vector, not the Laplacian.