# hashtag

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈhæʃˌtæɡ/ · frequency rank #11,716

## Definitions
1. A metadata tag, signaled by a preceding hash sign (#), used to label content.
2. The hash sign itself, especially when used as part of a hashtag.

## Etymology
From earlier hash tag, from hash (sign) + tag. The hash sign # was initially proposed as tag hash by Chris Messina to create groups on Twitter, modeled after the IRC channel prefix. First published use as hash tag by Stowe Boyd in 2007.

## Easily confused with
- **hasta** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hashtag-vs-hasta)

## Common misspellings (11)
`ahshtag`, `hahstag`, `hashatg`, `hashhtag`, `hashtagg`, `hashtga`, `hashttag`, `hasshtag`, `hasthag`, `hhashtag`, `hsahtag`

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