Definition & Meaning of "repeat sign"

What is a "repeat sign"?

A repeat sign is a musical symbol that instructs the performer to repeat a section of the music. It consists of two vertical lines with two dots placed on the staff, one above and one below the middle line. The first repeat sign, which faces the right, marks the beginning of the section to be repeated, and the second repeat sign, which faces the left, marks the end. When encountering a repeat sign, the musician returns to the beginning repeat sign or the start of the piece if there is no beginning repeat sign, and plays the section again. This symbol helps to structure the music by indicating repeated passages, saving space and simplifying the notation.