hashtag

SayHASH-tag/ˈhæʃˌtæɡ/

3 meanings of hashtag

1
nouncountable
A label attached to online content, marked by a hash sign (#) before a word or phrase.
Like a library subject heading that groups everything on the same topic together.
She added a hashtag to her post so more people would see it.
Popular hashtags can spread a message to millions of users overnight.
Similartag
2
verbtransitive or intransitive
To mark a message with a hashtag so it can be grouped with related content.
Like tagging a photo with a keyword so search tools can surface it.
Brands often hashtag their campaigns to track engagement.
He hashtagged the announcement so followers could join the conversation.
Similartag
3
nouncolloquialmetonymicallycountable
The hash symbol (#) itself, especially as used at the start of a hashtag.
Like the asterisk, a keyboard mark people recognize by name.
Enter your PIN and then press the hashtag to confirm.
The form asked me to type a hashtag before the room number.
Similarhash, pound

Practice

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Origin

From an earlier 'hash tag', combining 'hash' (the # sign) and 'tag'. The # sign was proposed by Chris Messina as a 'tag hash' to create groups on Twitter, modeled on the IRC channel prefix, with the first published use as 'hash tag' by Stowe Boyd in 2007.