"+1" is a two-character forum reply used to signal agreement with the post directly above it.
Origin
"+1" circulated on internet forums for years before it got a formal write-up[1]. On April 28, 2004, Urban Dictionary user Joe Mama added a definition of the phrase, one of several competing entries the site collected around that time explaining how forum posters deployed the shorthand[1].
- Creator: Unknown
- Date: 2004
Overview
"+1" (read as "plus one") is a short forum reply used to signal agreement with the comment directly above it[1]. Instead of typing out a full response, users drop the two-character shorthand to add weight to another person's opinion or to co-sign a suggestion someone has floated for community consideration[1].
The reply carries a positive connotation but does not always mean full endorsement of an idea. Sometimes a "+1" is just a call for the specific action the commenter above suggested, not a blanket agreement with their broader argument[1].
How It Spread
Use of "+1" thinned out across the 2010s as Reddit, Twitter and Facebook rolled out upvote and "like" buttons that did the same job with a single click[1]. Curiosity about the phrase resurfaced on Quora on March 9, 2020, where user Shulamit Widawsky answered a thread revisiting what "+1" actually meant to newer users[2].
"+1" entered the site's community vocabulary in late 2009, first through admins and moderators weighing in on entry submissions, and by 2010 it was one of the most common bits of site-specific jargon in the comment sections[3].
How to Use
On most forums, a "+1" reply is typically dropped as a standalone comment right under whichever post you want to back[1].
Frequently Asked Questions
What is +1?
"+1" is a short forum reply used to signal agreement with the previous post or to co-sign a suggestion someone made[1].
Where did +1 come from?
Urban Dictionary user Joe Mama added a definition of "+1" on April 28, 2004, formalizing usage that already existed on internet forums[1].
What does +1 mean?
It means "I agree" or "count me in," typically posted under a comment the user wants to back[1].
How do you use +1?
Is +1 still popular?
Use of "+1" declined through the 2010s as Reddit, Twitter and Facebook rolled out upvote and "like" buttons that replaced the shorthand[1].
