Digamma (double gamma; so called from its form, F, resembling two gammas, T), the sixth letter in the ancient alphabet of the Greeks, corresponding to the Hebrew and the Latin f, and probably equivalent in sound to the English w. It continued latest in the AEolic dialect, but early became obsolete in the Attic alphabet, and subsequently in the Greek language; though its original existence is indicated by the fact that the fifth letter (e) is the numerical symbol for 5, but the next letter (£) for 7. It does not appear in the Homeric poems as usually published, though they were composed when it was in use; but its force remained in the metre after its form had disappeared, and its latent existence at the beginning of many words and syllables apparently commencing with a vowel made preceding short syllables, if ending with a consonant, long by position, or, if ending with a vowel, prevented a hiatus. In words of the Latin language etymologically connected with Greek words which were originally written with the digamma, it is represented by v, thus:

vesperus; ovum.