What is an Octothorpe? - Computer Hope

Also called a hash, number sign, or pound sign, the octothorpe is the typographical symbol "#" (two horizontal lines and two vertical lines, ... SkiptoMainContent HomeDictionaryO-Definitions Octothorpe Updated:06/02/2020byComputerHope Alsocalledahash,numbersign,orpoundsign,theoctothorpeisthetypographicalsymbol"#"(twohorizontallinesandtwoverticallines,crossed). OnUSQWERTYkeyboards,the#symbolappearsonthesamekeyasthenumber3.ItcanbetypedbyholdingShiftandpressingthe3key. Whereisthehashkeyonthekeyboard? Howtocreatethehashsymbol. Howisthehashsymbolusedonacomputer? Relatedinformation. Keyboardhelpandsupport. Whereisthehashkeyonthekeyboard? Belowisanoverviewofacomputerkeyboardwiththehashkeyhighlightedinblue. Howtocreatethehashsymbol Creatingthe#symbolonaU.S.keyboard TocreatethehashsymbolusingaU.S.keyboardonaWindows,macOS,orLinuxcomputer,holddowntheShiftkeyandpressthenumber3keyatthetopofthekeyboard. Creatingthe#symbolonasmartphoneortablet TocreateahashonanAndroidsmartphoneortablet,iPhone,oriPad,accesstheon-screenkeyboard,accessthenumbers(123)section,andthenthe(#+=)orsymbols(sym)section.Pressyourfingeronthe#symbol. Creatingthe#symbolonkeyboardsoutsideoftheU.S. Computerusersinotherpartsoftheworld,suchasItalycanfindthe#symbolonadifferentkey.Inthepicturebelowisakeyboardkeywiththe#symbolonthesamekeyastheàand°key.TousethiskeyholddownAltandpressthekey. Howisthehashsymbolusedonacomputer? Belowareexamplesofwhatusesthepoundsymbolonacomputer. Indicatesthatthenumberitprecedesisanordinal(e.g.,"#1"for"numberone,"meaning"first"or"best"). Inhashtags(e.g.,#computer) Inprogrammingtoidentifyanonexecutablestatement. InIRCchatanidentifierofachannel.Forexample,#computerhopeistheComputerHopechatchannel. Relatedinformation Computerkeyboardkeysandexplanations. Keyboardhelpandsupport. Keyboardterms,Numberkey Wasthispageuseful?YesNoFeedbackE-mailSharePrint