What is it called when there are four periods at the end of a sentence? I know what it means but...
The first three are called an ellipsis. The fourth is used when there's an ellipsis at the end of a sentence.
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/marks/ellipsis.htm
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It's called an ellipsis.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ellipsis
When there are four periods at the end of a sentence, it is called an ellipsis. An ellipsis is typically used to indicate the omission of words or a pause in thought. It can also convey a sense of trailing off or leaving a statement unfinished.
To type an ellipsis, you can simply use three periods (...) consecutively. However, in some writing styles, a fourth period is added as a standard practice to indicate the intentional use of an ellipsis. So, the four periods (...) at the end of a sentence together form what is commonly known as a "four-dot ellipsis".