How Do You Spell CAPS LOCK?

Pronunciation: [kˈaps lˈɒk] (IPA)

The spelling of "CAPS LOCK" is fairly straightforward, with each word being spelled phonetically. "CAPS" is spelled with a hard "C" sound, "æ" vowel sound, "p" sound, and "s" sound, while "LOCK" is spelled with an "l" sound, "ɑ" vowel sound, and "k" sound. Together, the words form a compound word that is used to refer to the button on a keyboard that switches all letters to uppercase. It is a useful tool for emphasizing text or titles, but should be used sparingly to avoid appearing too shouty.

CAPS LOCK Meaning and Definition

1. Caps Lock is a keyboard key found in most standard computer keyboards. It is an abbreviation for "Capital Lock," and when activated, it allows for typing only in uppercase or capitalized letters, hence its name. The Caps Lock key is usually located on the left side of the keyboard, either above or near the Shift key.

   When the Caps Lock key is pressed once, it activates caps lock mode, causing all typed characters to be displayed as uppercase. This can be convenient for quickly typing an entire sentence or a series of words in uppercase instead of individually holding down the Shift key for each letter. Similarly, another press of the Caps Lock key deactivates it, returning the keyboard to its default mode where typed characters appear in lowercase.

   The Caps Lock key is primarily used in computer applications that require the entry of uppercase letters for specific purposes, such as acronyms, abbreviations, titles, or as a visual indicator for emphasis. However, it is important to note that excessive use of Caps Lock in online communication is often considered as shouting or expressing aggression, and is generally seen as poor netiquette. Some modern keyboards also feature an LED light that illuminates when Caps Lock is active, providing a visual indicator to the user.

Top Common Misspellings for CAPS LOCK *

• capslock 100%

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for CAPS LOCK

• CAPS nOCK
• CAPS mOCK
• CAPS L_CK
• CAPS LgCK
• CAPS LmCK
• CAPS LnCK
• CAPS LOsK
• CAPS LOkK
• CAPS LOgK
• CAPS LOaK
• CAPS LObK
• CAPS LOCc
• capslowck
• capsloch
• c aps lock
• caps l ock
• caps lo ck
• caps loc k

Etymology of CAPS LOCK

The term "CAPS LOCK" is derived from the two components: "caps" and "lock".

"Caps" is short for "capital letters", which refers to uppercase letters in the Latin alphabet, typically used at the beginning of sentences, proper nouns, and emphasis.

"Lock" refers to a mechanism that prevents a key or switch from being pressed accidentally or unintentionally. In the case of "CAPS LOCK", it indicates that when the key is pressed, it locks the keyboard into capital letter mode, making all typed letters uppercase until it is deactivated.

Therefore, the term "CAPS LOCK" originated from the combination of "caps" representing capital letters and "lock" indicating the locked state of the key on a keyboard.

Idioms with the word CAPS LOCK

• Turn your caps lock off! The idiom "Turn your caps lock off!" is a figurative expression used to tell someone to stop shouting or expressing excessive emotion, either in written or spoken communication. It implies that the person's tone or style is intense or overly aggressive, and they should calm down or speak in a more balanced manner.

Plural form of CAPS LOCK is CAPS LOCKS