What does dele mean?
Dele is a term from the traditional craft of proofreading, meaning to delete or strike out written or printed matter. Proofreaders use both the word itself and a distinctive symbol to instruct a typesetter to remove a letter, word, or passage from copy before publication. It can serve as a verb, as in 'the editor deleed the repeated phrase,' or as a noun referring to the deletion mark placed in the margin. The word comes directly from the Latin imperative dele, meaning 'destroy' or 'blot out,' the same root that gives us delete, indelible, and deleterious. Though largely displaced by digital editing tools today, dele survives among editors, printers, and anyone working with traditional proofs, and it pairs naturally with stet, the mark telling a printer to disregard a correction and let the original text stand. Knowing dele offers a small window into the precise, symbolic language once essential to the print trade.
To delete or strike out text, especially when marking up a manuscript or printed proof.
"The editor asked her to dele the final clause of the sentence."
Chiefly used in printing and publishing contexts.
The proofreading symbol or marginal note indicating that marked text should be deleted.
"She added a dele above the duplicated word."
Often written as the symbol δ.
Used when referring to multiple instances of the deletion mark on a page of proofs.
"The first proof came back covered in deles and queries."
Dele is the only common English word that is simply a Latin command — it literally means 'Destroy!' every time a proofreader scribbles it in a margin.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of dele
Dele comes directly from the Latin imperative verb dele, meaning 'destroy' or 'efface,' formed from delere, 'to blot out or annihilate.' English adopted it as a proofreader's instruction, likely in the early era of commercial printing, alongside related borrowings such as stet. It shares its root with delete, indelible, and deleterious, all tracing back to the Latin delere.
How dele is actually used
Dele belongs to the specialized vocabulary of printing and publishing; outside proofreading circles it sounds archaic or jargonistic. It functions as both verb ('dele this word') and noun ('put a dele there'). The corresponding instruction to keep deleted matter is 'stet'.
Easily confused with dele
Delete is the everyday verb for removing text on a computer, while dele is the older proofreader's term and symbol used specifically when marking up printed copy.