# ditto

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈdɪtəʊ/ · frequency rank #17,595

## Definitions
1. That which was stated before, the aforesaid, the above, the same, likewise.
2. A duplicate or copy of a document, particularly one created by a spirit duplicator.
3. A copy; an imitation.
4. The ditto mark, 〃; a symbol, represented by two apostrophes, inverted commas, or quotation marks (" "), indicating that the item preceding is to be repeated.
5. A suit of clothes of the same color throughout.
6. A copy made by (run off by) a ditto machine (especially, a worksheet thus reproduced).

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

## Easily confused with
- **ditty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ditto-vs-ditty)
- **Dutton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ditto-vs-dutton)
- **dit** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dit-vs-ditto)
- **diet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/diet-vs-ditto)
- **dirt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dirt-vs-ditto)
- **dino** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dino-vs-ditto)
- **dist** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dist-vs-ditto)
- **dint** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dint-vs-ditto)
- **dido** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dido-vs-ditto)
- **dirty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dirty-vs-ditto)
- **Diego** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/diego-vs-ditto)
- **ditch** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ditch-vs-ditto)
- **disco** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/disco-vs-ditto)
- **dildo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dildo-vs-ditto)
- **dingo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dingo-vs-ditto)
- **Dietz** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dietz-vs-ditto)

## Common misspellings (5)
`dditto`, `dito`, `ditot`, `dtito`, `idtto`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/ditto