ticker tape

noun

Definition of ticker tape

: the paper ribbon on which a telegraphic ticker prints off its information

Examples of ticker tape in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Chants of the phrase rang out from the stands after the team’s championship victory against the Netherlands last month, and later throughout the Canyon of Heroes as the women were feted with a ticker tape parade. — Maggie Mertens, The Atlantic, "What the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team Needs More Than Equal Pay," 3 Aug. 2019 On Wednesday, the team won trophies at The ESPYS and was honored with a ticker tape parade in New York City. — Mesfin Fekadu, Houston Chronicle, "Former Dash player celebrates World Cup win with lap dance from J. Lo," 13 July 2019 The parade is named for the strands of ticker tape that used to be showered down from nearby office buildings. — Ali Swenson, Twin Cities, "Fans celebrate World Cup champs, rally for equal pay," 10 July 2019 The parade is named for the strands of ticker tape that used to be showered down from nearby office buildings. — Time, "Megan Rapinoe Swigs Champagne With Fans During Triumphant Women's World Cup Victory Parade," 10 July 2019 That’s the predicament of the champions, who will get a ticker tape parade in New York City on Wednesday to celebrate back-to-back World Cup championships. — Shirley Leung, BostonGlobe.com, "Get on the right side of history, US Soccer: Equal pay for the women’s team — now," 8 July 2019 While the popular image of the end of World War I in November 1918 includes ticker tape parades and jubilant celebration, the reality was far different. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "To Remember the Chicago Race Riot of 1919, Commemoration Project Looks to Public Art," 30 July 2019 The new note, expected to enter circulation at the end of 2021, will include an image of Turing, ticker tape of his birth date in binary code, and a table and formula from a 1936 paper that introduced the concept of how computers could operate. — Karla Adam, The Denver Post, "Alan Turing, World War II codebreaker castrated for being gay, revealed as new face of British 50-pound note," 15 July 2019 The stretch of lower Manhattan has long hosted ticker tape parades for world leaders, veterans and hometown sports stars. — Fox News, "Trump weighs options in census case after DOJ setback; Women’s soccer star doubles down on White House snub," 10 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ticker tape.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for ticker tape

ticker tape

noun

Financial Definition of ticker tape

What It Is

Ticker tape was the paper strip used to transmit stock prices before the use of computers.

How It Works

A typical ticker tape quote has five components: the ticker symbol, shares traded, price, change direction, and change in price. This format is largely unchanged today.

The first ticker tape came about around 1867 with the advent of the telegraph. Prices and volumes after every trade appeared from the machine on a long, thin strip of paper, and there was a long delay that got shorter (around 15-20 minutes) as the technology improved by the 1940s and 1950s. Throughout the trading day, new quotes streamed through on the ticker tape.

One of the most interesting effects of ticker tape, aside from the relatively faster information dissemination, was the response of the brokers. To keep a constant eye on stock prices, many brokers who did business on the New York Stock Exchange set up offices near the exchange just so they could get a steady supply of tape from messengers who ran back and forth from the trading floor. Before 2001, stock prices were quoted in fractions (i.e. 20 1/8) instead of decimals (20.125).

Why It Matters

Whether the name came from the sound the machine made while printing stock prices or from the notion that a movement up or down in price is called a tick, ticker tape is still the colloquial term for a stream of stock prices, including volume. Actual ticker tape gave way long ago to electronic reporting, but today it still stands as symbol of American capitalism (and it's handy for parades, too).

Source: Investing Answers

ticker tape

noun

English Language Learners Definition of ticker tape

: long, thin pieces of paper on which news and stock prices are printed by a special machine (called a ticker)

See the full definition for ticker tape in the English Language Learners Dictionary

ticker tape

Definition of ticker tape

Examples of ticker tape in a Sentence

First Known Use of ticker tape

Financial Definition of ticker tape

English Language Learners Definition of ticker tape

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