command character
nounUK /kəˈmɑːnd ˈkærəktə/
US /kəˈmænd ˈkærəktər/
A command character is a special symbol that tells a computer to do something.
The command character at the start of the line tells the program to begin.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A character in a story who gives orders to others.
The captain was a command character who led the whole crew.
3. A symbol used in a markup or programming language to start an instruction.
In that language, the slash is a command character for closing a tag.
4. A hidden character that controls how text is displayed rather than being printed.
The newline command character moves the cursor to the next line.