typo

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'typo' is correct and perfectly usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to an error resulting from a mistake in typing, such as an incorrect spelling or transposition of letters. For example, "I noticed a few typos in the report - can you correct them before sending it out?".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

I didn't feel right putting her name in the body of the text to identify her as having made a typo, and she had not realised she provided me with my first step up.

The Guardian - Books

Incredibly, though, you can't tap to make an insertion at a typo or to edit.

The New York Times - Tech

Annoying as it may be to submit a carefully thought-out comment only to notice a glaring typo moments later, the problems with allowing comments to be edited would greatly outweigh the benefits.

The Guardian

Even if the government is allowed to keep selling debt, the Federal Reserve will soon stop buying it, as it reaches the end of its latest round of "quantitative easing", a programme to buy longer-dated paper with freshly printed money.In this section Crosstown traffic Faith and the markets World's worst menu Celtic cross A $45m typo Not quite Normandy Money?

The Economist

Then there was a crucial typo and some shoddy referencing.

The Economist

Our table on Ireland's public finances ("Bank rupture", September 12th) contained a typo.

The Economist

Now I am well aware that this blog has the occasional typo (in my defence the Movable type software doesn't have a spellcheck function).

The Economist

Buying shares in such a company is a leap of faith by any standard.In this section Crosstown traffic Faith and the markets World's worst menu Celtic cross A $45m typo Not quite Normandy Money?

The Economist

UPDATE 2: apologies for the occasional typo, but there is no spell-check in the movable type software.

The Economist

A typo in a (manually pecked) entry for a set of routes, for example, would not have the potential to take down large portions of the internet, route traffic to dead ends or overload equipment all of which can happen today.

The Economist

Still, he is shown in a generally positive light, sometimes misreading the political mood but mostly making the best of a bad situation.In this section Crosstown traffic Faith and the markets World's worst menu Celtic cross A $45m typo Not quite Normandy Money?

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use spell-check and grammar-check tools, but always manually proofread as these tools may not catch every "typo".

Common error

Don't use "typo" for grammatical or factual errors; "typo" specifically refers to typing errors. Use "error" or more specific terms like "grammatical error" or "factual inaccuracy" instead.

Linguistic Context

The word "typo" primarily functions as a noun, referring to a typographical error. Ludwig confirms this usage, providing numerous examples where "typo" is used as a noun in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Encyclopedias

10%

Science

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "typo" is a commonly used noun referring to a typographical error. Ludwig AI validates its grammatical correctness and provides numerous real-world examples from authoritative sources such as The Economist, The New Yorker, and The Guardian. While often used in news and media, it's important to remember that "typo" specifically refers to typing errors and shouldn't be used for other types of mistakes. Be mindful of potential confusion with similar-sounding words or phrases, and always proofread carefully to minimize "typos" in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

typographical error

More formal term for "typo", indicating a mistake in the printed or written text.

misprint

Refers specifically to an error in printed material.

literal error

Highlights the error being related to the written letters.

keyboarding error

Focuses on the mistake arising during typing.

mistyping

Describes the act of making a typing mistake.

clerical error

A broader term referring to mistakes in office work, including typing.

writing mistake

Emphasizes the error occurring during the writing process.

error in transcription

Highlights the error happening when converting speech to text.

slip of the finger

An idiomatic way of describing a typing error.

data entry error

Refers to mistakes made while entering data, which may include typing.

FAQs

How to use "typo" in a sentence?

You can use "typo" to refer to a typographical error in writing. For example, "I found a "typo" on page 5 of the report", or "Please correct any "typos" before submitting the document".

What can I say instead of "typo"?

You can use alternatives like "typographical error", "misprint", or "literal error" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "typo" or "typo error"?

"Typo" is already short for "typographical error", so saying "typo error" is redundant. Use just ""typo"".

What's the difference between "typo" and "error"?

"Typo" refers specifically to a typographical error, which is a mistake in typing. "Error" is a more general term that can refer to any kind of mistake, including factual, grammatical, or logical errors.