What Is the Difference Between Subscript and Superscript?
Subscript characters sit below the normal text line. Superscript characters sit above the line. Both are used in math and science; knowing the difference helps you pick the right format in Word, Google Docs, or our subscript and superscript generator.
What Is a Subscript?
A subscript shows something attached to the bottom of a symbol. Examples:
- Chemistry: H₂O (the 2 is subscript)
- Math: x₁, x₂ (indices)
People often ask what is a subscript when writing lab reports or homework. Unicode subscript lets you copy and paste these symbols without special software.
What Is Superscript?
Superscript raises text above the line. Examples:
- Exponents: x², 10³
- Footnote markers: word¹
For more on creating these, see superscript generator copy paste.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Subscript | Superscript | |
|---|---|---|
| Position | Below the line | Above the line |
| Common use | Chemistry, indices | Powers, footnotes |
| Examples | CO₂, H₂O, x₁ | x², E=mc², ¹ |
One Tool for Both
Our free subscript and superscript generator lets you switch between Subscript and Superscript on the same page. It uses standard Unicode ranges (for example U+2080–U+2099 for many subscript numbers and letters). That is reliable for school and office work; for professional publishing, follow your style guide.
Experience (EEAT): Subscripttext.com focuses on clear, practical Unicode formatting. We explain limits (for example, not every letter has a Unicode subscript). Read About Us for more on the site.