If you want to quote the comma, quote the comma. % echo a{b,c,d,','}e abe ace ade a,e > xset fp+ /path/{dir1\,,dir2\,,dir3} % echo /path/dir{1',',2',',3} /path/dir1, /path/dir2, /path/dir3 Disclaimer: This is probably portable but I don't know that it is. ---Dan