etaoin shrdlu
/ˈɛtiɔɪn ˈʃɜːrdluː/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 0.00 in modern English
16
Scrabble Score
12
Letters
2
Syllables
12
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
Nonsense, filler text (dummy text), or an example of accidental typing (typo).
Example Sentences
- "You can see why compositors reflexively filled lines to be corrected with etaoin shrdlus."
Etymology
From the arrangement of letters on the keyboard of a linotype machine: typesetters would mark errors by running their fingers across the keys, and the results would sometimes accidentally find their way into print. The letters in the string are, approximately, the 12 most commonly used letters in the English language, ordered by their frequency, which drove the design of the linotype keyboard.
Inflected Forms
etaoin shrdlus (plural)
etaoin (alternative)
etaoin shrdlu cmfwyp (alternative)
shrdlu (alternative)
shrdlu etaoin (alternative)
etaoinshrdlu (alternative)
etaoinshrdlcumwfgypbvkjxqz (alternative)