Epsilon in LaTeX

The LaTeX command for epsilon (ϵ) is \epsilon.

\epsilon

Greek Lowercase · Unicode ϵ (U+03F5) · 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
`\epsilon` recommended	none	Lunate epsilon, closer to the set-membership sign.
`\varepsilon`	none	Curly epsilon, the usual one in analysis.
`\renewcommand{\epsilon}{\varepsilon}`	none (preamble)	In the preamble: every \epsilon prints the curly form.
`\in`	none	Set membership: a relation, not a letter.

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

Common mistake. \in is set membership, not an epsilon: it looks alike but is spaced as a relation. For a small quantity use \epsilon or \varepsilon.

How to type Epsilon

Write \epsilon 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

$|x - a| < \epsilon$

|x - a| < \epsilon

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

Often confused with

Varepsilon \varepsilon (ε): variant epsilon
In \in (∈): element of

Related Greek Lowercase symbols

\chi\psi\omega\alpha\beta\gamma\delta\varepsilon\zeta\eta\theta\vartheta\iota\kappa

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

FAQ

How do you write epsilon (ϵ) in LaTeX?

Use \epsilon in math mode; it needs no extra package. For example, $|x - a| < \epsilon$.

Which package provides \epsilon?

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

What is the most common mistake with epsilon in LaTeX?

\in is set membership, not an epsilon: it looks alike but is spaced as a relation. For a small quantity use \epsilon or \varepsilon.