Dah
/dɑː/noun
A spoken representation of the long signal, or dash, in Morse code.
Did you know?“Dah” is an imitative radio-operator term rather than an inherited ancient word, designed to make Morse dashes easier to hear and memorize alongside “dit” for dots.
Etymological Timeline
1830s
English
Morse code
“A coded system developed by Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail using short and long electrical signals.”
1844
English
Morse telegraph
“The telegraph system publicly demonstrated by Morse, transmitting messages as patterned electrical pulses.”
1865
International Morse
long signal
“The internationally standardized Morse dash, conventionally represented in written code by a horizontal stroke.”
Early 20th Century
Radio English
dah
“An imitative spoken syllable used by operators to pronounce or teach the Morse dash.”
Modern English
English
dah
“The spoken name for a Morse dash, paired with “dit” for a dot.”