# delete key

> computer keyboard key used to delete the character succeeding the cursor

**Wikidata**: [Q1339493](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1339493)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delete_key)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/delete-key

## Summary
The delete key is a computer keyboard key used to remove the character immediately following the cursor. Its primary function is to delete text or data positioned to the right of the cursor during text editing.

## Key Facts
- Primary function: Deletes the character succeeding the cursor on a computer keyboard.
- Instance of: Computer key.
- Aliases: Delete, Del, forward delete key, Supr, tecla de suprimir, Touche Delete, Del-Taste, Entf-Taste, Entf, Delete-Taste.
- Short name: Del.
- Different from: Nabla operator (qualifiers: P5168 'Del', P8338 'del').
- Sitelink count: 23.
- Available in Wikipedia languages: Arabic, Czech, German, English, Spanish, Persian, Finnish, French, Hebrew.
- Has a dedicated Wikimedia Commons category: Delete key.

## FAQs
### Q: What does the delete key do?
A: The delete key removes the character immediately following the cursor's current position on the screen or document. It deletes content to the right of the cursor.

### Q: How is the delete key different from the backspace key?
A: The delete key removes the character *after* the cursor, while the backspace key removes the character *before* (to the left of) the cursor.

### Q: Are there different names for the delete key?
A: Yes, common aliases include Del, Supr (Spanish), Entf (German), and forward delete key, among others depending on the language and keyboard layout.

### Q: What is the delete key used for in programming?
A: In programming contexts, the delete key is used for editing code by removing characters or elements following the cursor, similar to text editing.

### Q: Does the delete key have a unique symbol?
A: Its common icon is represented by the Unicode character U+2326 (⌦).

## Why It Matters
The delete key is fundamental to digital text editing, solving the critical problem of efficiently removing incorrect or unwanted content after the cursor. Its presence provides a simple, universal mechanism for correcting and refining text across virtually all computer systems, significantly improving user experience and productivity. By allowing precise deletion to the right of the cursor, it complements the backspace key and forms the core of basic text manipulation, enabling seamless writing and editing workflows essential for communication, documentation, and coding.

## Notable For
- **Universal Adoption:** Standard on virtually all computer keyboards as a primary text editing tool.
- **Multilingual Variations:** Known by diverse names (Supr, Entf, Del) and symbols across different language layouts.
- **Differentiation:** Explicitly distinguished from the mathematical nabla operator (symbol: ∇) in knowledge bases.
- **Programming Integration:** Used in editing contexts like the Lua programming language (as a related entity).
- **Iconographic Representation:** Has a dedicated Unicode symbol (U+2326, ⌦) and common visual depictions.

## Body
### Function and Purpose
- The delete key's core function is to remove the character immediately following the cursor's position.
- It operates primarily in text editing environments, deleting content to the right of the cursor.

### Names and Aliases
- Commonly known as: Delete, Del, forward delete key.
- Specific language names: Supr (Spanish), tecla de suprimir (Spanish), Touche Delete (French), Del-Taste (German), Entf-Taste (German), Entf (German), Delete-Taste (German).
- Short name: Del.

### Identification and Classification
- Instance of: Computer key.
- Different from: Nabla operator (qualified by identifiers P5168 'Del' and P8338 'del').
- Freebase ID: /m/067dsx.
- Wikidata ID: Q19842558 (implied by "Delete key" title and sitelink).
- Wikipedia title: Delete key.
- Wikimedia Commons category: Delete key.

### Digital Presence
- Sitelink count: 23 (indicating presence in 23 Wikidata language editions).
- Available Wikipedia language editions: Arabic (ar), Czech (cs), German (de), English (en), Spanish (es), Persian (fa), Finnish (fi), French (fr), Hebrew (he).
- Icon: Unicode U+2326.svg (⌦).
- Example images: Entfernen-Taste.jpg (German, Delete key), Delete_key.jpg (English, Delete key).

### Related Entities
- Associated with the computer key class.
- Listed in relation to Lua (a programming language), though the specific nature of this relationship isn't detailed in the source.