Definition of the word round bracket

The term "round bracket" originated in the world of mathematics, where these symbols ( ) are commonly used for various mathematical operations. They were first introduced in the 19th century, as a way to denote parentheses or grouping of expressions. Prior to the use of round brackets, mathematicians used other symbols such as dots ( · ), commas ( , ), and bars ( | ) to denote similar grouping operations. However, these symbols were sometimes difficult to differentiate from other mathematical operators, leading to confusion and errors. In response to this, the mathematician Joseph Louis Lagrange is credited with introducing the use of round brackets, which provided a clearer and more distinct way to differentiate between grouping and other mathematical operators. Today, round brackets are an essential part of mathematics and are widely used in many other areas of academic and practical applications, including computer programming, linguistics, and scientific notation.