=

equals
=

   <character> "=", {ASCII} character 61.

   Common names: {ITU-T}: equals; gets; takes.  Rare:
   quadrathorpe; {INTERCAL}: half-mesh.

   Equals is used in many languages as the {assignment} operator
   though earlier languages used ":=" ("becomes equal to") to
   avoid upsetting mathematicians with statements such as "x =
   x+1".  It is also used in compounds such as "<=", ">=", "==",
   "/=", "!=" for various comparison operators and in {C}'s "+=",
   "*=" etc. which mimic the {primitive} operations of
   {two-address code}.

   (1995-03-29)