# How to create a command for the “strange m” symbol in latex?

I am wanting to use the "strange m" symbol in my latex code.

I had hoped to use the scorpio symbol, but have been unable to find a scorpio command that produces what I am looking for. The two that I have found were not exactly what I had in mind.

I essentially want the symbol to be like the greek letter eta, but with two bumps instead of one.

Unfortunately, I am unsure of how to construct NEW symbols in latex.

Currently the best I have is this symbol, but it has broken apart slightly

• \documentclass{article} \usepackage{marvosym} \begin{document} \Scorpio \end{document}? – marmot Apr 22 at 14:25
• Are you looking for \scorpio (wasysym package), \Scorpio (marvsym package), or \Scorpio (startfont package)? – Mico Apr 22 at 14:26
• I don't want scorpio exactly. I had hoped the scorpio symbol would work, but I've seen both and neither were the symbol I want :/ I just want an extra bump on eta. Like eta, but an m with a flick instead of an n with a flick – Oliver Morrison Apr 22 at 14:33
• Nice question. Upvoted and retracted close vote. – JouleV Apr 22 at 14:47

Do it yourself joining m and \eta with \clipbox:

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{trimclip}
\newcommand{\emeta}{\clipbox{0em -1ex .3em -1ex}{$m$}\clipbox{.3em -1ex 0em -1ex}{$\eta$}}
\begin{document}
$m\eta$
$\emeta$
\end{document}


• Maybe use relative units instead of absolute ones such that this symbol can also be used in subscripts, footnotes and so on? – marmot Apr 22 at 15:13
• I have just implemented the symbol and it doesn't quite line up :/ – Oliver Morrison Apr 22 at 15:15
• I have added a picture of the current state of the symbol, in the post. – Oliver Morrison Apr 22 at 15:19
• @CarLaTeX \newcommand{\emeta}{\clipbox{0pt 0pt 3pt -1pt}{$m$}\clipbox{3pt 0pt 0pt -1pt}{$\eta$}} I just added this and then wrote $\emeta$ later in the paper – Oliver Morrison Apr 22 at 15:25
• @CarLaTeX Great .... almost. ;-) If you load amsmath and do {\Large $\boldsymbol{\emeta}$} it does not quite line up, so you may need to distinguish between bold and not bold. (A bold m is wider than a nonbold one, and 1em measures the width of the m.) I will be happy to remove the corresponding discussion of my answer if you ask me to. – marmot Apr 22 at 15:43

The Miama Nueva font is on CTAN and distributed with TeX Live.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage[scale=1]{miama}

\begin{document}
\miama{m}
\end{document}


As discussed under this thread, you can always build your own.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\makeatletter
\DeclareRobustCommand{\checkbold}[1]{% https://tex.stackexchange.com/a/24635/121799
\edef\@tempa{\math@version}\edef\@tempb{bold}%
\ifx\@tempa\@tempb%
\def#1{1}%
\else
\def#1{0}%
\fi}
\makeatother
\newcommand{\freakym}{\checkbold\tmp%
\def\mpath{(0,1ex) to[out=0,in=70] (0.2em,0) to[out=70,in=180]
(0.4em,1ex) to[out=0,in=70] (0.6em,0) to[out=70,in=180]
(0.8em,1ex)  to[out=0,in=70] (1em,0) to[out=-110,in=-90,looseness=2.5]
(1.15em,-0.2ex)}
\ensuremath{\mathchoice{%
\tikz[baseline=0ex]{\draw[line width={(1+0.33*\tmp)*0.06em}] \mpath;}
}{%
\tikz[baseline=0ex]{\draw[line width={(1+0.33*\tmp)*0.06em}] \mpath;}
}{%
\tikz[baseline=0ex]{\draw[line width={(1+0.33*\tmp)*0.045em},scale=0.75]
\mpath;}
}{%
\tikz[baseline=0ex]{\draw[line width={(1+0.33*\tmp)*0.035em},scale=0.6]
\mpath;}
}}}
\begin{document}

\freakym

$A\freakym B_{C\freakym D}$ {\Large $A\freakym B_{C\freakym D}$}

\boldmath$A\freakym B_{C\freakym D}$ {\Large $A\freakym B_{C\freakym D}$}
\unboldmath
\end{document}


Just for fun a version strongly inspired by CarLaTeX. I will be happy to remove this part of my answer if she adds something along these lines to her nice answer.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\makeatletter
\DeclareRobustCommand{\checkbold}[1]{% https://tex.stackexchange.com/a/24635/121799
\edef\@tempa{\math@version}\edef\@tempb{bold}%
\ifx\@tempa\@tempb%
\def#1{1}%
\else%
\def#1{0}%
\fi}
\makeatother
\newcommand\clippym{\checkbold\tmp%
\tikz[baseline=(m.base)]{\begin{scope}
\clip(-0.4em,0) rectangle (0.15em,1.8ex);
\node[anchor=south,inner sep=0pt](m){$m$};
\end{scope}
\begin{scope}[xshift=0.12em]
\clip(0,-0.6ex) rectangle (0.4em,1.8ex);
\node[anchor=south west,inner sep=0pt](m) at(-0.2725em-\tmp*0.075em,-0.4ex) {$\eta$};
\end{scope}}}
\begin{document}
\clippym\footnote{Full credit for $\clippym$ goes to CarLaTeX.}

{\Large \clippym}

$\boldsymbol{\clippym}$

{\Large $\boldsymbol{\clippym}$}

\end{document}