from
The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)
ampersand
amper
<character> "&" {ASCII} character 38.
Common names: {ITU-T}, {INTERCAL}: ampersand; amper; and.
Rare: address (from {C}); reference (from C++); bitand;
background (from {sh}); pretzel; amp.
A common symbol for "and", used as the "address of" operator
in {C}, the "reference" operator in {C++} and a {bitwise}
{AND} operator in several programming languages.
{UNIX} {shells} use the character to indicate that a task
should be run in the {background}.
The ampersand is a ligature (combination) of the cursive
letters "e" and "t", invented in 63 BC by Marcus Tirus [Tiro?]
as shorthand for the Latin word for "and", "et".
The word ampersand is a conflation (combination) of "and, per
se and". Per se means "by itself", and so the phrase
translates to "&, standing by itself, means 'and'". This was
at the end of the alphabet as it was recited by children in
old English schools. The words ran together and were
associated with "&". The "ampersand" spelling dates from
1837.
Take our word for it
(http://takeourword.com/Issue010.html).
(2000-10-28)