punched tape: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2Technical/Historical
Quick answer
What does “punched tape” mean?
A long, narrow strip of paper or other material in which holes are punched in specific patterns to store data or program instructions, historically used for early computing and telecommunications.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A long, narrow strip of paper or other material in which holes are punched in specific patterns to store data or program instructions, historically used for early computing and telecommunications.
A physical data storage medium, precursor to modern digital storage; also used in contexts like player pianos (piano rolls), textile looms, and early telegraphy. In modern figurative use, can refer to any outdated or sequential data input method.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Spelling follows respective conventions (e.g., 'programme' vs. 'program' in surrounding text).
Connotations
Equally technical and historical in both varieties.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both, with slight potential uptick in British engineering or computing history contexts due to early UK contributions (e.g., Babbage, Turing).
Grammar
How to Use “punched tape” in a Sentence
[verb] + punched tape (e.g., feed, read, create)punched tape + [verb] (e.g., contains, stores, spools)punched tape + [preposition] + [noun] (e.g., tape for data storage)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “punched tape” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The teletype machine punched tape automatically as the message was received.
- We need to punch tape for the programme's new subroutine.
American English
- The old computer punched tape directly from the keyboard input.
- They had to manually punch tape to load the program.
adverb
British English
- [No standard adverbial use. Figuratively: The data was fed in punched-tape slowly.]
American English
- [No standard adverbial use. Figuratively: The instructions were processed in a punched-tape fashion.]
adjective
British English
- The punched-tape reader was a crucial part of the early computer system.
- We found a box of punched-tape reels in the archive.
American English
- The punched-tape data storage method is now a museum piece.
- He repaired the punched-tape drive on the vintage teletype.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used in modern business contexts.
Academic
Used in history of technology, computer science history, and engineering history courses.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Might appear in nostalgic conversations or documentaries.
Technical
The primary context. Used by engineers, computer historians, museum curators, and retro-computing enthusiasts.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “punched tape”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “punched tape”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “punched tape”
- Confusing 'punched tape' with 'magnetic tape' (the latter uses magnetic encoding, not holes).
- Using 'punched tape' to refer to modern data storage.
- Incorrect plural: 'punch tapes' (should be 'punched tapes' or 'punched tape' as uncountable).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In mainstream computing, no. It is completely obsolete. Niche uses may exist in some very old industrial machinery or as a novelty in retro-computing hobbies.
Punched tape is a continuous strip, while a punch card is a single, rectangular card. Tape is better for sequential data streams, while cards can be sorted and rearranged.
Round holes were easier to punch reliably with simple mechanical punches and were less likely to tear the paper tape compared to other shapes.
Rarely. Its primary meaning is technical. Figuratively, it might describe any rigid, sequential, or outdated process, but this is not a standard idiom.
A long, narrow strip of paper or other material in which holes are punched in specific patterns to store data or program instructions, historically used for early computing and telecommunications.
Punched tape is usually technical/historical in register.
Punched tape: in British English it is pronounced /pʌntʃt teɪp/, and in American English it is pronounced /pʌntʃt teɪp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[None directly associated. Figurative: 'like reading punched tape' for something sequential and outdated.]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a ticket you get from an old-fashioned car park machine – a long paper strip with holes in it. That's a simple form of punched tape. For computing, think of it as a very long, hole-punched 'ticket' that tells a machine what to do.
Conceptual Metaphor
PHYSICAL SEQUENCE IS A PROGRAM (The order of holes physically represents the sequence of commands/data).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary characteristic that defines 'punched tape'?