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• typo
  typo

  noun

  typographical error.
• typo-
  typo-

  a combining form representing type in compound words.
• typo.
  typo.

  abbreviation

  typographer.

typo

¹ American  

[tahy-poh] / ˈtaɪ poʊ /

noun

Informal.

plural

typos

1. typographical error.

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typo- ² American  

1. a combining form representing type in compound words.

   typography, typology.

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typo. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. typographer.

2. typographic.

3. typographical.

4. typography.

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typo ¹ British  

/ ˈtaɪpəʊ /

noun

1. Also called (Brit): literal.  informal a typographical error

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typo. ² British  

abbreviation

1. variants of typ.

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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; see -o

Explanation

A typo is a mistake in written or published writing. If you find a misspelled word or misplaced punctuation mark in this blurb, you've caught a typo. Typo is short for typographical error, and you can also call it a misprint. Typos are errors made during the typing process that have been missed by editors and proofreaders. Originally, typos were mistakes made during typesetting, but today you can use the term for mistakes in any typewritten text, from instant messages to social media posts.

Related Words

• blemish
• bug
• defect
• failing
• fault
• foible
• glitch
• pitfall
• weakness