Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

octothorpe

/ˈɑːktoʊθɔːɹp/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 0.00 in modern English

Syllables: oc-tothor-pe
IPA: /ˈɑːktoʊθɔːɹp/

17

Scrabble Score

10

Letters

3

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The hash or square symbol #, used mainly in telephony and computing.

American usage

Example Sentences

"The pad 1 provides keys for numerals 0 to 9, while the sextile or asterisk (*) key is decoded to provide a decimal point and the octothorp ( # ) key generates a command to send the contents of the memory unto the telephone line through a send circuit 7, a coupling circuit 8 and the hybrid network 2."
"A select group of Sears customers were given a "how to" manual on ordering goods by Touch-Tone. The octothorpe (#) and asterisk (*) buttons are used to separate information and to indicate end of transmission. This is the first system in Canada in which the general public has direct access to a computer from their homes."
"Octothorp is the # on a push-button telephone. Rumor at the telephone company is that a man named Charles B. Octothorp, wanting to make his name famous, would approach anyone with a Touch-Tone ’phone, stop, and say admiringly, “That’s a mighty handsome octothorp you have there.”"
"Strings are enclosed in double quotation marks, numbers are not enclosed in anything, and dates and Boolean values are enclosed between octothorpe (#) characters."

Etymology

Origin disputed. There is no known usage before it was adopted by Bell Labs in the late 1960s or early 1970s, so most sources agree it was coined by someone at Bell Labs, but accounts from Bell Labs personnel conflict on the details. The derivation as a traditional term from octo- (“eight”) + thorpe (“field, hamlet or small village”) lacks any evidence, but there is near universal agreement that the first element refers to the number eight. Eight is derived from the number of ends of the lines. Thorpe could be a reference to Jim Thorpe, as one proponent was a fan of the athlete. However, it probably is just an arbitrarily-picked syllable with no particular meaning.

Word Breakdown

Prefix: octo-

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈɑːktoʊθɔːɹp/
British English: /ˈɒktəʊθɔːp/

Usage

American usage

Inflected Forms

octothorpes (plural) octothorp (alternative)

Frequently Paired Words

# ♯ sextile

Synonyms

hash hashtag number sign octothorn pound sign

Questions

How do you pronounce octothorpe?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈɑːktoʊθɔːɹp/.
What does octothorpe mean?: The hash or square symbol #, used mainly in telephony and computing.
Where does octothorpe come from?: Origin disputed. There is no known usage before it was adopted by Bell Labs in the late 1960s or early 1970s, so most sources agree it was coined by someone at Bell Labs, but accounts from Bell Labs personnel conflict on the details. The derivation as a traditional term from octo- (“eight”) + thorpe (“field, hamlet or small village”) lacks any evidence, but there is near universal agreement that the first element refers to the number eight. Eight is derived from the number of ends of the lines. Thorpe could be a reference to Jim Thorpe, as one proponent was a fan of the athlete. However, it probably is just an arbitrarily-picked syllable with no particular meaning.

How to pronounce octothorpe

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “octothorpe”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈɑːktoʊθɔːɹp/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “octothorpe”.
Repeat and practice — Say “octothorpe” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.