Showing results for 404.

404

American

[fawr-oh-fawr] / ˈfɔr oʊˈfɔr /

noun

Also called 404 error. Computers. an error message sent by a web server to a browser when the user has typed an incorrect URL, tried to access a web page that is no longer available, or clicked on a broken link on a web page.

They must have taken down their website;
I keep getting that annoying “404 - File Not Found” message.
Slang. a person who is stupid or uninformed.

404 British

/ ˌfɔːəʊˈfɔː /

noun

slang a stupid or ineffectual person

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of 404

First recorded in 1995–2000

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 404 points, or 0.8%, while the S&P 500 was off 0.9%.

From Barron's • Mar. 7, 2026

A Ring spokesperson defended the Search Party tool when reached for comment by 404.

From Salon • Feb. 18, 2026

The BBC has asked 280 Labour MPs of the 404 currently sitting in Parliament what their views were on Burnham attempting to become an MP again.

From BBC • Jan. 23, 2026

The app’s existence was earlier reported by 404 media, a digital publication focused on technology and privacy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 5, 2026

Olanna watched the Peugeot 404 disappear down the road and stood there for a while, feeling as if she had swallowed a sparkling sliver of light.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023