Ditto means ‘the same as what has already been said or listed’ (pronounced DIT-oh /ˈdɪtoʊ/). It is a handy shortcut for avoiding repetition. In conversation, replying ‘ditto’ is a quick, friendly way to say ‘me too’ or ‘I feel the same,’ while in writing the ditto mark stands in for a word that would otherwise be repeated line after line.
What does ditto mean?
Ditto works in a few ways. As a noun or adverb it means ‘the aforesaid, the same,’ used in lists and accounts so a writer need not repeat a word. As an interjection, ‘Ditto!’ expresses agreement: if a friend says ‘I’m exhausted,’ answering ‘Ditto’ means ‘so am I.’ It can also function loosely as a verb meaning to repeat or duplicate something.
The related ditto mark is a written symbol, typically a pair of small marks resembling inverted commas (the " symbol), placed beneath a word to show that the word directly above should be read again on that line. It is common in tables, inventories, ledgers, and handwritten lists.
Where does ditto come from?
English borrowed ditto in the early 1600s from Italian. In standard Italian the word was detto, and in the Tuscan dialect ditto, both meaning ‘said.’ These forms are the past participle of the verb dire, ‘to say,’ which descends from Latin dicere, ‘to say’ (past participle dictus, ‘having been said’).
Italian merchants and clerks used detto to avoid rewriting a date or item in a column, for example writing ’26 detto’ to mean ’26th of the same month.’ English adopted the convenience along with the word; the first recorded English use dates to 1625, in exactly this kind of list-keeping construction. From accounting shorthand it spread into general speech.
How is ditto used?
The interjection ‘Ditto!’ is informal and conversational, a breezy way to signal agreement without repeating the other person’s words. It is friendly and slightly playful, well suited to chat, texting, and casual talk, though it can feel too flip in very formal writing.
The ‘as above’ sense and the ditto mark are neutral and practical, showing up in forms, spreadsheets, inventories, and handwritten notes. In digital documents, people sometimes type the ditto mark using quotation marks. Whether spoken or written, the core job of ditto is the same: to say ‘repeat what came before’ as briefly as possible.
In practice, people produce the ditto mark in several ways. By hand, writers simply draw two small strokes or inverted commas centred beneath the word to be repeated. In typed and digital documents, the straight double-quote character is commonly pressed into service, and Unicode even includes a dedicated ditto mark symbol for the purpose. Spreadsheets and forms often rely on the convention so heavily that a whole column may show a single entry at the top followed by ditto marks all the way down. A small courtesy is to make sure the reader can tell what the mark refers to, since a ditto mark is only as clear as the line directly above it. In speech, ‘ditto’ has spread well beyond bookkeeping into warm, everyday agreement, and it can even carry emotional weight, as in the famous use of the single word ‘ditto’ to stand in for ‘I love you’ in the film Ghost. That scene captures the word’s whole charm: ditto lets one short syllable carry the full meaning of everything that came just before.
Example sentences
- ‘I thought the movie was brilliant.’ ‘Ditto!’
- She wants extra cheese, and ditto for me.
- The invoice listed the date once and used ditto marks for the rest of the column.
- He signed his name, and I added mine with a quick ‘ditto’ underneath.
- I’m tired of the constant delays, and ditto the endless paperwork.
- Fill in your address on the first line, then use ditto marks if it repeats.
Related and confusable terms
Synonyms include likewise, same here, me too, similarly, and the Latin ‘idem’ (meaning ‘the same,’ used in citations). For the mark itself, related terms include repeat mark and ditto sign.
People sometimes confuse the interjection ditto with a full statement of agreement; note that ‘ditto’ only means ‘the same as what you just said,’ so it needs a prior statement to point back to. The word is also widely recognized from pop culture, notably the shape-shifting Pokemon named Ditto, whose ability to copy others plays on the word’s ‘same as’ meaning. The ditto mark should not be confused with inch marks or quotation marks, even though they look alike.
Ditto in pop culture
Ditto’s meaning of ‘copy’ or ‘same’ has made it a natural fit for names and references. The Pokemon Ditto is famous for transforming into an exact copy of another creature, a nod to the word’s core idea. Older readers may also remember ‘ditto machines’ (spirit duplicators) once used in schools to make copies of worksheets, their purple ink instantly recognizable. In each case the connection is the same: ditto is about repeating or reproducing what already exists.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does ditto mean?
Ditto means 'the same as what was just said or listed.' It saves you from repeating words, and in conversation it works as a casual way to say 'me too' or 'I agree.'
What is a ditto mark?
A ditto mark is a symbol (usually a pair of marks like ") placed under a word in a list to show that the word above should be repeated on that line, instead of writing it out again.
Where does the word ditto come from?
English borrowed it in the early 1600s from Italian ditto (Tuscan for detto), 'said,' the past participle of dire, 'to say,' from Latin dicere. Its first recorded English use is 1625.
How do you use ditto in a sentence?
For example: 'I loved the food, and ditto the service,' or simply replying 'Ditto!' to agree with what someone just said.
Is ditto formal or informal?
The interjection ('Ditto!') is informal and conversational. The ditto mark and the sense 'as above' are neutral and appear in lists, forms, and accounts.
What is a synonym for ditto?
Synonyms include likewise, same here, me too, and 'as above.' In lists, 'idem' serves a similar repeat-marking purpose.