# How to print glossary math symbol in bold?

I would like to print the first usage of a math symbol defined in my glossary in bold without defining a new glossary entry.

Using the text environment \textbf{\glssymbol{T1}} has no effect, because the symbol is in math mode.

Using the symbol in math mode does not work either: $\glssymbol{T1}$.

How do I print the math symbol in bold?

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{glossaries}
\usepackage{bm}
\makeglossaries

\newglossaryentry{T1}{name={T1}, symbol={\ensuremath{T_1}}, description={longitudinal relaxation time}}
\newglossaryentry{T1bold}{name={T1}, symbol={\ensuremath{\bm{T_1}}}, description={longitudinal relaxation time (bold entry)}}

\begin{document}
This is the first time I use \textbf{\glssymbol{T1}} (should be \textbf{bold} like \glssymbol{T1bold}) and this the second time: \glssymbol{T1} (not bold).

Defining another symbol in the glossary leads to a second entry:
\printglossaries
\end{document}

• Did you try \ensuremath{\boldsymbol{T_1}} or \boldmath\ensuremath{T_1}? Feb 24 '20 at 13:57
• Yes, but as I wrote above, this would apply to every single usage of that symbol, not only a single one. Feb 24 '20 at 15:02
• Do I understand correctly that the bold usage is the first in the main text, as opposed to in the glossary? Mar 25 '20 at 19:42

## 2 Answers

One possible solution is to use the \text environment in a bold math (bm) mode.

As a new command, this looks like:

\newcommand{\glssymbold}[1]{\ensuremath{\bm{\text{\glssymbol{#1}}}}}


that can be used like this:

\glssymbold{T1}

• Note that \boldsymbol from amsmath is a more standard command than \bm. It will work even when you load bm. Dec 20 '20 at 23:00

Simply use the optional user fields to declare your bold variable. Its much easier to handle than to define a new command. Tip: you could also define a new gls field (say 'glsBoldVar', compare your problem to my answer here)

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{glossaries}
\usepackage{bm}
\makeglossaries

\newglossaryentry{T1}{name={T1},
symbol={\ensuremath{T_1}},
user1={\ensuremath{\bm{T_1}}},
description={longitudinal relaxation time}
}
description={longitudinal relaxation time (bold entry)}}

\begin{document}
This is the first time I use \textbf{\glssymbol{T1}} (should be \textbf{bold} like \glsuseri{T1}) and this the second time: \glssymbol{T1} (not bold).

Defining another symbol in the glossary leads to a second entry:
\printglossaries
\end{document}

• Note that \boldsymbol from amsmath is a more standard command than \bm. It will work even when you load bm. Dec 20 '20 at 23:00