How to pronounce octothorpe
Say it like OK-toh-thorp. Octothorpe has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (OK).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce octothorpe. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- OK
- toh
- thorp
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Octothorpe pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- OKSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- tohKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- thorpKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
American vs British pronunciation of octothorpe
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
- The long o starts further forward in British English, closer to "uh-oo" than the American "oh".
British respelling: OK-toh-thawp.
What does octothorpe mean?
- The hash or square symbol #, used mainly in telephony and computing.
Where does octothorpe come from?
Origin disputed. There is no known usage before it was adopted by Bell Labs in the late 1960s or early 1970s, so most sources agree it was coined by someone at Bell Labs, but accounts from Bell Labs personnel conflict on the details.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
- hash
- hashtag
Questions about saying octothorpe
How do you pronounce octothorpe?
Say OK-toh-thorp. The American pronunciation is /ˈɑktoʊθɔrp/. In British English it is /ˈɒktəʊθɔːp/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in octothorpe?
Octothorpe has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (OK). Broken into parts: OK · toh · thorp.
Is octothorpe pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈɒktəʊθɔːp/ (OK-toh-thawp).