The ampersand, or &, is a logogram representing the conjunction 'and'. It originated as a ligature of the letters e and t, from the Latin word 'et', meaning 'and'. In mathematics, it is sometimes used to denote the logical conjunction, or "and" operation.

The ampersand used to be part of the alphabet and has been used since the Roman Empire. It is a symbol that replaces the word “and” and is often used as part of an official name or in various forms of informal writing.