1337
/liːt/ · Adjective · Hacker Culture
Definitions
1337 (pronounced leet) is a form of internet slang that replaces letters with visually similar numbers and symbols. The term derives from elite, describing skilled hackers or gamers, and became widespread in early internet culture through bulletin board systems (BBS), IRC, and online gaming in the 1990s. Common substitutions include 3 for E, 1 for L or I, 7 for T, 0 for O, and 4 for A, making 1337 itself read as LEET. More elaborate forms replace letters with combinations of symbols (like |\| for N or |_| for U). Originally used semi-seriously among hackers to indicate technical skill or insider status, leet speak evolved into a form of internet humor and self-aware parody. It influenced gaming culture (terms like n00b and pwned), username conventions, and password creation. The style is now largely used ironically or nostalgically, but it remains an important artifact of early internet culture and community identity formation.
In plain English: An old internet slang way of writing 'elite' using numbers instead of letters, originally used by hackers to seem cool.
Example: "He unironically named his Wi-Fi network 'h4x0r_1337' and wonders why the neighbors judge him."
Etymology
- 1980s
- Bulletin board system (BBS) culture developed 'elite' status for trusted users with special access. Being 'elite' meant access to restricted files and forums.
- 1990s
- The word 'elite' was shortened and stylized to 'leet,' then '1337' using character substitution (E=3, T=7). Leetspeak became a playful cipher in hacker and gaming subcultures.
- Early 2000s
- 1337speak spread across online gaming, IRC, and early forums. It served as both an in-group marker and a way to bypass text filters in chat systems.
- 2010s-Present
- Leetspeak became a retro-nostalgic internet artifact. '1337' persists in gaming handles, memes, and tech culture as a tongue-in-cheek reference to old-school hacker identity.
Origin Story
The Number That Became a Secret Handshake
1337, pronounced 'leet' (from 'elite'), is both a number and a cultural phenomenon rooted in early internet and hacker subculture. The practice of replacing letters with numbers and symbols, known as 'leet speak' or '1337 5p34k,' originated in the 1980s on bulletin board systems (BBS) where users would alter text to bypass word filters, signal insider status, or simply show off. The number 1337 itself became shorthand for 'elite,' marking someone as a skilled hacker or power user. The convention mapped letters to visually similar numbers and symbols: E became 3, T became 7, A became 4, O became 0, and so on. While leet speak started as a functional tool for evading content filters, it quickly evolved into an identity marker. Being '1337' meant you belonged to the in-group of technically proficient users. The style peaked in the late 1990s and early 2000s, permeating gaming culture, IRC channels, and early web forums. Today, 1337 persists mostly as nostalgic humor and cultural shorthand. Port 1337 is a favorite for development servers, and the number appears as an Easter egg in countless software projects.
Context: Emerged in 1980s BBS culture as part of 'leet speak,' a text substitution system used by hackers and power users.
Fun fact: Google's original IPO filing in 2004 sought to raise exactly $2,718,281,828, a number equal to e (Euler's number) times one billion. The company has a long history of mathematical Easter eggs, and many Googlers use 1337 in internal project names.