# Symbol request for a mysterious symbol

Is there a symbol that looks like the element sign $\in$ but instead of being curved, looks more like a less than sign $<$? I have trawled through hundreds of symbols and tried detexify.

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Is it like an arrow then? Where did you see it? – hpesoj626 Dec 8 '12 at 7:28
You can always draw the symbol in something like MS Paint, and include an image of it, even if you don't have enough reputation. See/read How can I upload an image to be included in a question or answer? – Werner Dec 8 '12 at 7:39
Is it an operator (like +) or a relation (like <)? – tohecz Dec 8 '12 at 8:01
Welcome to TeX.SX – Harish Kumar Dec 8 '12 at 9:23
this is a relation, at unicode U+2AAA, meaning "smaller than"; the reverse, "larger than", is at unicode U+2AAB. there are also "or equal to" forms. all in the xits and stix fonts. – barbara beeton Dec 8 '12 at 14:16

Is it like this?

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{mathtools}
%
\newcommand{\myinleft}{%
\ensuremath{{\mathrlap{<}-}}}
%
\newcommand{\myinright}{%
\ensuremath{{\mathrlap{>}-}}}

\begin{document}
$\myinleft$ $\myinright$
\end{document}


If it is a relation symbol as doubted by Tochecz (through his crystal ball ;-)), it is better to use mathrel:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{mathtools}
%
\newcommand{\myinleft}{%
\mathrel{{{\mathrlap{<}-}}}}%
%
\newcommand{\myinright}{%
\mathrel{{\mathrlap{>}-}}}

\begin{document}
$x\myinleft c \myinright d$
\end{document}


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 I suppose it is a relation, so maybe you can tell it to LaTeX by \mathrel{...}, because now it sees the -, which is an operator... – tohecz Dec 8 '12 at 8:02 @tohecz Your crystal ball is very well polished ;-) You may be right. Answer updated and thank you. :-) – Harish Kumar Dec 8 '12 at 8:14 +1 very nice :) – cmhughes Dec 8 '12 at 16:01

Here's a solution that doesn't need any packages; it uses ooalign, one of @egreg's favourite tools for which he gives an excellent tutorial in \subseteq + \circ as a single symbol ("open subset")

\end{document}

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