"(". ASCII character 40. Common names: left paren left parenthesis left open paren (")" = thesis) open paren open parenthesis left parenthesis left banana. Rare: so (")" = alreadY) lparen ITU-T: opening parenthesis open round bracket, left round bracket, INTERCAL: wax (")" = wane) parenthiseY (")" = unparenthiseY) left ear. Paired with right parenthesis (")"). (1995-03-06)