WordofTheDay.US

ditto

/ˈdɪtəʊ/ noun

Latin root: dīcō First recorded: 1625 Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about ditto at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

  1. That which was stated before, the aforesaid, the above, the same, likewise.
  2. The ditto mark, 〃; a symbol, represented by two apostrophes, inverted commas, or quotation marks (" "), indicating that the item preceding is to be repeated.
  3. A suit of clothes of the same color throughout.

adverb

  1. As said before, likewise.

verb

  1. To repeat the aforesaid, the earlier action etc.
  2. To make a copy using a ditto machine.

interjection

  1. Used as an expression of agreement with what another person has said, or to indicate that what they have said equally applies to the person being addressed.
    I'm really busy today! —Ditto!

Origin

First attested in 1625. From regional Italian ditto, variant of detto, past participle of dire (“to say”), from Latin dīcō (“to say, to speak”). Not related to English dittography. The specific meaning of making copies of paper comes from ditto machine, a genericization from the brand name of a spirit duplicator.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)