Why is it called an Octothorpe?

Why is it called an Octothorpe?

The name octothorpe came about when hash hit the phones. It’s often thought that the hash key began its life in the undignified role as a function for signifying numbers over the phone on automated customer service systems. But it already existed on Qwerty typewriter keyboards before it reached telephone keypads.

What is Octothorpe sign?

The official name of the number sign, the one located at the bottom right hand corner of phone keypads and used to label hashtags on social media, is octothorpe. Also called a hash or a pound sign, the symbol has roots in 14th century Latin. They called it the “octotherp,” which eventually became the octothorpe.

What does Thorpe mean in Octothorpe?

The derivation as a traditional term from octo- (“eight”) and 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.

What is the meaning of Octothorpe ‘? Use it in a sentence?

(also octothorpe) Another term for the symbol # (the hash sign or pound sign). ‘By dialing the octothorpe (#) and 44, then saying ‘Messages,’ a subscriber can retrieve voice mail. ‘ ‘This starts with an octothorpe and consists of 6 hex numbers.

Who invented Octothorpe?

Octothorp, octothorpe, octathorp, octatherp The Merriam-Webster New Book of Word Histories, 1991, has a long article that is consistent with Doug Kerr’s essay, which says “octotherp” was the original spelling, and that the word arose in the 1960s among telephone engineers as a joke.

When was Octothorpe first used?

1971
The first known use of octothorpe was in 1971.

What is a hashtag called?

The technical term for a hashtag is “octothorp,” according to the OED; octo, in reference to the eight points in the figure, and Thorpe, OED says cryptically, from “the surname Thorpe.” Whatever that means.

Why is it called hashtag?

The word hashtag, used to refer to the symbol (#) in Twitter, is a combination of the word hash from hash mark and the word tag, a way to mark something as belonging to a specific category. If you include the hashtag #snowden in your tweet, for example, anyone who searches for #snowden in Twitter will see your tweet.

How do you use Octothorpe?

The great punctuation comeback: on the rise of the octothorpe, alias the hash, the crunch, the hex, the flash, the grid. This starts with an octothorpe and consists of 6 hex numbers. Common names for an octothorpe include number sign, hash, or pound.

What’s another word for Octothorpe?

Octothorpe Synonyms – WordHippo Thesaurus….What is another word for octothorpe?

How do you spell Octothorpe?

Stories abound about who first called the # sign an “octothorpe” (which can also be spelled “octothorp”). Most of those tales link the name to various telephone workers in the 1960s, and all claim the “octo-” part refers to the eight points on the symbol, but the “thorpe” remains a mystery.