There are different meanings of ditto, but the ditto meaning most people use basically expresses agreement. Read on to learn more about the different ditto meanings, including how to use this word in sentences and conversations.
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What Does Ditto Mean?
The ditto meaning, which most people know, is like saying “right back at you.” It can be a noun, verb, or adverb. Ditto also is a way of applying one statement to another in the same way. Another meaning is a copy or to make a copy of something using a ditto machine.
How about the ditto mark? This symbol (″) might look like a punctuation mark, but it is (often used in handwritten notes) used to indicate that something above it should be repeated. For instance:
Shelly bought ten pieces of black pen for $3.
Tryssy bought ″ ″ ″ blue ″ ″ ″.Fun Fact: The word ditto has been around since at least the first half of the 1600s. It’s a variation of the Italian detto, which means “said.” Before modern photocopiers existed, people used ditto machines to make copies of documents.
Example conversations:
Conversation #1
You: After this, I'm going to want an icy cold drink.
Your friend: Ditto that!Conversation #2
You: What do you want on your burger?
Your friend: Just leave off the tomato, ditto mustard.Conversation #3
You: What did you end up doing last night?
Your friend: Hardly anyone was at the movies, ditto the riverfront, so I just went home.Synonyms Of Ditto
If you don’t like using ditto or just want some variety, you do have options. The following are several. (We’ve already seen “Right back at you.”)
- What s/he said
- Same here
- Totally agree
- Duplicate
- Likewise
- Copy
When and How to Use Ditto?
Since almost no one uses ditto machines anymore, you’re unlikely to hear it used in that context much. However, if a coworker says she has to go make some “dittos,” it means she’s going to the copier.
You’re more likely to hear or see “ditto” in the ways the example conversations illustrate above.
In the first example, the friend wants to get a cold drink. If you also want to get a beverage, saying “ditto” is a quick way to express that.
As for the second example conversation, the friend is saying s/he doesn’t want tomatoes or mustard on the burger. A similar usage would be saying, “I can’t work Monday, ditto Wednesday and Thursday.”
Lastly, the third conversation expresses that the movie theater and the riverfront were pretty empty. (It could also mean those places were empty of people they know.) The implication is that the friend went back home out of boredom.
Tip: Although “ditto” is a ubiquitous term, it is informal and should be avoided at work and other professional settings.
Final Thoughts
The ditto meaning most people use expresses agreement or that a condition of something applies to something else, too. A less common usage is for a copy or to make a copy of something. In fact, using it for copied documents is somewhat archaic since ditto machines have largely vanished from the world!
