ditto
[dit-oh]
- the aforesaid; the above; the same (used in accounts, lists, etc., to avoid repetition). Abbreviation: do. Symbol: ″.Compare ditto mark.
- another of the same.
- Informal. a duplicate; copy.
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- as already stated; likewise.
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- to make a copy of, using a Ditto machine.
- to duplicate or repeat the action or statement of (another person).
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Origin of ditto
1615–25; < Italian, variant of detto < Latin dictus said, past participle of dīcere to say; see dictum
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for ditto
Contemporary Examples
Ditto Virginia, but in reverse; culturally, northern Virginia is Yankee land (but with gun shops).
When the former engaged in his drone filibuster, Cruz showed up in support; ditto for Paul when Cruz held an Obamacare filibuster.
Ditto Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who won easily, and might parlay his success into a presidential bid.
Ditto that the Court acted (or in-acted) “without providing any explanation whatsoever.”
Ditto for Nancy Writebol the other American flown back in that dramatic first wave.
Historical Examples
In tabular work reversed commas are used as a sign for ditto.
PunctuationFrederick W. Hamilton
The dash is sometimes used in catalogue work as a ditto mark.
PunctuationFrederick W. Hamilton
Ditto,” cried Waller still more emphatically; “what say you, Hawkswing?
The Wild Man of the WestR.M. Ballantyne
The fodder is odious, not fit for a pig, and the wine is ditto.
The New TenantE. Phillips Oppenheim
Cromwell was mad and a quack; Anselm, Becket, Goethe, ditto ditto.
Past and PresentThomas Carlyle
ditto
- the aforementioned; the above; the same. Used in accounts, lists, etc, to avoid repetition and symbolized by two small marks (ˌ) known as ditto marks, placed under the thing repeatedAbbreviation: do
- informal
- a duplicate
- (as modifier)a ditto copy
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- in the same way
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- informal used to avoid repeating or to confirm agreement with an immediately preceding sentence
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- (tr) to copy; repeat
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Word Origin
C17: from Italian (Tuscan dialect), variant of detto said, from dicere to say, from Latin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for ditto
1620s, Tuscan dialectal ditto "(in) the said (month or year)," literary Italian detto, past participle of dire "to say," from Latin dicere (see diction).
Originally used in Italian to avoid repetition of month names in a series of dates; generalized meaning of "same as above" first recorded in English 1670s. Dittohead, self-description of followers of U.S. radio personality Rush Limbaugh, attested by 1995. dittoship is from 1869.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper