typo
1 Americannoun
plural
typosabbreviation
-
typographer.
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typographic.
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typographical.
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typography.
noun
abbreviation
Usage
What is a typo? Typo is short for typographical error—a mistake made when typing something.The term typically refers to an unintentional error that happens when you accidentally hit the wrong key on a keyboard—the kind of mistake that autocorrect is supposed to catch and automatically fix when you’re typing a document or texting. For example, typing teh when you mean to type the is a common typo.Typos often result in misspellings, but, technically, not all misspellings are typos. It wouldn’t be quite accurate to call a misspelling a typo if you spelled the word that way on purpose. Still, people often use the word this way, especially when politely pointing out misspellings in things that other people have typed.The term typographical error can also refer to an error made during the printing process, such as due to a mechanical issue, but this sense of the term is much less commonly usedExample: I should have proofread my proposal because as I was presenting it I noticed a typo right on the title slide.
Etymology
Origin of typo
1890–95; shortened form; -o
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 morning after this article was published, HPE said it had made a typo in a footnote in its press release.
From Barron's • Oct. 15, 2025
As for me, I couldn’t quite bring myself to leave a typo in that email.
From Slate • Aug. 20, 2025
Walker said that number appeared to be a typo.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2025
Its rebrand to Abrdn in 2021 was largely derided, with some saying it seemed like a typo, and others joking the firm had "irritable vowel syndrome".
From BBC • Mar. 4, 2025
I couldn’t account for that hundred years, so I assumed it was a typo.
From "Educated" by Tara Westover
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
