Where were you the first time you learned you could spell words on a calculator? For most of us, the answer is an elementary or middle school math class. Maybe you had a friend who taught you the numbers to push to spell hello. Or, perhaps you were busy with homework and noticed the upside down numbers on your calculator looked like LOL. Before long you were probably trying all sorts of letter combinations trying to spell the longest (and silliest) possible words.
The extra fun thing about calculator words is that they鈥檙e one type of ambigrams. An ambigram is a word, number, or other figure that can be read upside down. To create and read a calculator word, you have to enter the corresponding numbers backwards, then flip the calculator upside down. When you do this, a 7 becomes an L, a 3 becomes an E, and suddenly, it鈥檚 a whole new world of words to explore. Here鈥檚 a look at some of the most classic and entertaining calculator words you may have forgotten about. Please note: this post includes some anatomy slang.
馃摫Demonstrate your love of words and numbers alike by taking this quiz on calculator words now!
zoo
Or should we say 200? Some words become 鈥渃alculator words鈥� simply because they鈥檙e easy to write, and this is certainly one of them. Most of us know zoos as parklike areas where wild animals are on public display, but the word zoo can also mean 鈥渁 place, activity, or group marked by chaos or unrestrained behavior.鈥� For example, a math class where every student is busy writing secret messages on their calculators. Hey, we鈥檙e just kidding.
sizzle
Multisyllable calculator words are a good way to dazzle everyone with your sizzling intellect. Case in point: if you type 372215 and flip it upside down, you get the word sizzle. This word originated in English as an imitation of the hissing sound sometimes heard during cooking, so it鈥檚 one calculator word that鈥檚 both an ambigram and an onomatopoeia.
boob
If you鈥檝e ever typed 8008 or 8008135 into your calculator, you aren鈥檛 alone. Boob and boobies are the quintessential, silly calculator words many people first learn in middle or high school.聽Boob is, of course, slang for a breast (or a foolish person鈥攍ike the kind that types boob on a calculator). Like many words that make middle schoolers giggle, these ones are probably frowned upon in most math classes. The less we say about this one, the better.
logo
Logotype isn鈥檛 possible to spell on a calculator, but its shortened form, logo, certainly is. Typing 0607 will give you this noun that means 鈥渁 graphic representation or symbol of a company name, trademark, abbreviation, etc., often uniquely designed for ready recognition.鈥� Come to think of it, a brand name spelled out on a calculator could make a pretty cool logo.
obsess
If you鈥檙e a little bit obsessed with calculator words (or the number five), just input 553580. That鈥檚 how you spell obsess, which means 鈥渢o occupy or preoccupy the thoughts, feelings, or desires of (a person); beset, trouble, or haunt persistently or abnormally.鈥� The word comes from the Latin obsessus, a past participle of 辞产蝉颈诲脓谤别, meaning 鈥渢o occupy, frequent, besiege.鈥�
LOL
You can laugh out loud or you can laugh on a calculator. 707 should get the message across. LOL is a 鈥�90s internet abbreviation for 鈥渓augh out loud鈥� or 鈥渓aughing out loud.鈥� These days, it鈥檚 less popular than a simple haha or a laughing emoji, but on a calculator it鈥檚 the clearest (and only) way to let someone know you appreciate their sense of humor.
If you’re looking for other ways to laugh, try these alternatives for LOL.
eggshell
The next word on the list is eggshell. That鈥檚 77345663, for those trying to spell it at home. This word, which refers to the shell of a bird鈥檚 egg, a paint color, and even a type of paper, may not be the zaniest word you can think of, but if your goal is to type the longest calculator word, it is definitely a contender.
giggle
Sometimes a good calculator word can give you a serious case of the giggles. Other times, the word is literally giggle. You can create this word by punching in 376616. This word, which entered English in the 1500s, is likely related to the Dutch gigelen or the German gickeln. On a calculator, it鈥檚 ideal for people who really like the number six.
hello
Here鈥檚 another quintessential calculator word that鈥檚 easy to learn. 07734 spells hello. Interestingly, it wouldn鈥檛 be possible to spell hello on a calculator if not for its modern form. The word evolved from hallo, a variant of hollo, which is itself a variant of the earlier Middle French hola, equivalent to 鈥渁hoy there.鈥� There鈥檚 no great way to make the letter聽A on a calculator, so it鈥檚 a good thing language evolves.
hobbies
It鈥檚 nice to have hobbies. Hobby comes from the Middle English hoby, which referred to a horse in the 13th century. From hoby 别惫辞濒惫别诲听hobbyhorse, a children鈥檚 toy, which was later shortened to its modern form. Since the word hobby means 鈥渁n activity or interest pursued for pleasure or relaxation,鈥� practicing your calculator spelling could technically count as one. If you grab the nearest calculator and type the numbers 5318804, you鈥檒l have both the word hobbies and a new hobby.
LEGO
If you input 0637 on a calculator, you鈥檒l get the name of a beloved classic toy. We know typing 尝贰骋翱听may not be as fun as playing with the trademarked LEGO construction toys, but it鈥檚 still pretty interesting, especially if you know where the LEGO name comes from.聽LEGO is an abbreviation of the Danish leg godt, which means 鈥渢o play well.鈥�
Ohio
You can鈥檛 spell all of the US state names on a calculator, but you can spell Ohio. Just hit 0140. While you鈥檙e typing it, it might be fun to share a few fun Ohio facts, like the fact that its capital is Columbus, it鈥檚 abbreviated with the letters OH, and it鈥檚 bordered by five other states: Michigan, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Indiana.
igloo
It鈥檚 time for the ones and zeros to shine. Igloo can be spelled on a calculator by pressing 00761. First recorded in the mid-1800s, igloo comes from the Inuit word iglu, meaning 鈥渉ouse.鈥� In English, igloo doesn鈥檛 only describe dome-shaped structures. It鈥檚 also the word for 鈥渁n excavation made by a seal in the snow over its breathing hole in the ice.鈥�
goggle
Quick, what鈥檚 a six-letter calculator word that鈥檚 formed using at least three sixes? Goggle, or 376606, is the answer. Goggle is an interesting word because no one is 100% certain where it comes from. The word was first recorded in the 1300s and referred to movements of the eyes, such as bulging or rolling. It wasn鈥檛 until the 1700s that goggle began to refer to protective eye coverings.
lilies
The plural of lily is lilies, our next fun calculator word. Note that there is only one L in the middle of the word, so the correct way to input it on the calculator is 531717. A lily is, of course, a type of flowering plant, or it may refer to the 鈥嬧�媐leur-de-lis, especially as the symbol of France. It鈥檚 one of the only flower names able to be spelled using a calculator.
boss
Are you a 5508? That spells boss. You may be a boss in the literal sense, like a manager, or you might be a boss in the slang sense, which means 鈥渇irst-rate.鈥� Believe it or not, the slang sense of the word isn鈥檛 just something the kids are saying. The first recorded use of boss聽to mean “excellent” occurred in the 1880s.
shoes
It鈥檚 almost time to hit the road, but not before we get to our final word: shoes. Footwear has certainly evolved since the 鈥�90s and 鈥�00s, when many of us were learning calculator words for the first time, but this five-letter word never goes out of style. In fact, shoe was first recorded in English before the year 900. All you need to do to spell this one is to hit 53045.
