hashtag

[ hash-tag ]

noun

1. (on social media websites)
   1. a word or phrase preceded by a hash mark (#), used within a message to identify a keyword or topic of interest and facilitate a search for it:

      The hashtag #sandiegofire was used to help coordinate an emergency response to the fire.

   2. a hash mark used in this way.
2. 1. a word or phrase preceded by a hash mark (#) or by the word hashtag , used to add wit or emphasis to a spoken or written statement.
   2. a hash mark or the word hashtag used in this way, as in the sentence His goodbye was so hashtag awkward.

verb (used with or without object)

, hash·tagged, hash·tag·ging.

1. to add a hashtag to (a word, topic, or message):

   Someone on Twitter just hashtagged the film festival.

hashtag

/ ˈhæʃˌtæɡ /

noun

1. (on the Twitter website) a word or phrase preceded by a hash mark, used to denote the topic of a post

Word History and Origins

Origin of hashtag¹

First recorded in 2005–10; hash (mark) + tag ¹ (in the sense “a label or keyword”)

Example Sentences

On Wednesday, New Jeans fans rallied under the hashtag "IdolsAreWorkers" in support of the band.

From BBC

Another popular hashtag they use is “address book,” a near homonym for “homosexual” in Chinese, which has also spawned the offshoot keywords “female notebook” or “male notebook.”

From Los Angeles Times

Actors were sharing similar experiences on social media using the hashtag #BodhiGate.

From BBC

The sketch twisted the knife by asking Mulaney to remember the names of any of the people killed by police that his character had shared along with the hashtag #RememberTheirNames in 2020.

From Salon

"Story time! Context is everything!" the caption read, doubling down with a hashtag of Grande's name.

From Salon

More About Hashtag

What does hashtag mean?

A hashtag is a word or phrase preceded by a hash mark (#), also known as a pound sign, used primarily on social media.

On social media, hashtags provide users a way to search for posts related to the word or phrase in the hashtag. You can click on a hashtag to see a list of recent posts that include that keyword. (A couple of our favorites are #WordOfTheDay and #WordNerd.)

To hashtag means to add a hashtag to a word, topic, or message, as in We hashtag our posts about history with #HistoryMatters so you can find them easily.

Example: Use the hashtag #petthedog with a video of you petting your dog for a chance to win our contest.

Where does hashtag come from?

The first records of the term hashtag come from the early 2000s. It combines the term hash mark, meaning the pound symbol (#), and the term tag, meaning “label or keyword.” The similarity of hashtag and hashmark is the main reason many people use the terms interchangeably sometimes.

Attaching a hashtag to a social media post allows it to be more easily found by people who may be interested in the post’s content. You might hear the term hashtag used as a way to add humor to a sentence, as in My conversation with the principal was hashtag awkward.

Did you know … ?

What are some words that share a root or word element with hashtag? 

• hash
• hash mark
• tag

What are some words that often get used in discussing hashtag?

• ad
• social media
• discussion
• search
• trend
• viral

What are some words hashtag may be commonly confused with?

• hash mark

How is hashtag used in real life?

While hashtags can be an online tool for businesses, they are commonly used by casual social media users, too.

What's your favourite track to wake up to in the morning? Show us using hashtag #MyPerfectAM

— One Direction (@onedirection) October 27, 2015

Obama.
Clooney.
Malala.
Fey.
Stern.
Jay-Z.#MyNextGuestNeedsNoIntroductionWithDavidLetterman@Letterman do you think we need a shorter hashtag?

— Netflix (@netflix) January 5, 2018

 

Try using hashtag!

Is hashtag used correctly in the following sentence?

I hashtagged all my tweets about the conference with the conference name so followers could find them.