Typo
/ˈtaɪ.poʊ/noun
A typographical error, especially one made in typing or printing.
Did you know?"Typo" is a clipped form of "typographical error," and its rise tracks the age when printing errors could spread fast and harden into public record—tiny accidents with outsized power.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
typos
“a blow, impression, mark, or model”
Late Latin
Latin
typus
“a figure, form, or model”
15th Century
English
type
“a printed letter or character; later, a class or sort”
19th Century
English
typographical error
“an error made in typesetting or printing”
20th Century
English
typo
“a shortened informal word for a typographical error”
Explore more surprising origins