Omega (Ω ω) in LaTeX
Omega is the twenty-fourth and final letter of the Greek alphabet, written \omega for lowercase and \Omega for uppercase in LaTeX maths mode.
LaTeX command
\OmegaNot the symbol you meant? Draw it to find the command →
Omega carries several unrelated standard meanings, so context always matters: lowercase \omega commonly denotes angular frequency or velocity in physics and engineering, and an outcome or elementary event in probability, where uppercase \Omega denotes the entire sample space.
Uppercase \Omega is also the standard symbol for electrical resistance in ohms, and, in computer science, Big-Omega notation \Omega(n) gives an asymptotic lower bound on a function's growth, the counterpart to Big-s upper bound.
Because omega is the last letter of the alphabet, it is also used informally to mean the final or the whole of something, both in mathematical writing and beyond. Neither \omega nor \Omega has a curly variant form.
Other forms
\omegalowercase omega\Omegauppercase omega (Ω)Examples
$\omega$lowercase omega inline
$\Omega$uppercase omega
$\omega = 2\pi f$angular frequency from ordinary frequency
$R = 5\,\Omega$a resistance of 5 ohms
$T(n) = \Omega(n \log n)$a Big-Omega asymptotic lower bound
Tips and common mistakes
- Omega's meaning depends entirely on the field, angular frequency, sample space, ohms and Big-Omega notation all use it; define your usage the first time it appears.
- Use
\Omegafor the ohm symbol in LaTeX rather than pasting a Unicode character, for consistent font and encoding across your document. - Don't confuse
\omega, angular frequency, with plain w or the sample space\Omega, they mean very different things even in the same probability text. - There is no
\varomegavariant in standard LaTeX.
Working from handwritten notes?
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Convert your maths to LaTeX →FAQ
How do I type the ohm symbol in LaTeX?
Use \Omega inside maths mode, for example . This renders the same capital omega glyph used as the ohm symbol.
What does omega mean in physics?
Lowercase omega, \omega, most often denotes angular frequency or angular velocity, measured in radians per second.
What is capital Omega used for in probability?
\Omega conventionally denotes the sample space, the set of all possible outcomes of a random experiment.
Is there a difference between \omega and \Omega?
Yes, they are the lowercase and uppercase forms of the same letter and are separate LaTeX commands with different, field-dependent meanings.