What is lorem ipsum?
Lorem ipsum is scrambled Latin that printers and designers have used as dummy text since at least the 1500s. It comes from De finibus bonorum et malorum, a book on ethics written by Cicero in 45 BC, with words cut short and rearranged so it doesn't read as real sentences. "Lorem" itself is the end of the word "dolorem" (pain).
The point is that it looks like ordinary text, with a natural mix of short and long words, but it's meaningless, so people reviewing a design look at the layout and typography instead of reading the copy.
When to use placeholder text
- Website and app mock-ups before the content is written
- Testing layouts: how a card, column or button handles short and long text
- Typography: comparing fonts, sizes and line spacing on realistic paragraphs
- Templates for brochures, presentations and themes
- Developers filling a page or database with sample content
When not to use it
Placeholder text can hide real problems. Actual headlines are often longer than the dummy ones, names come in every length, and translated text (German, for example) can be 30% longer than English. As soon as you know roughly what the content will say, test with realistic text. And always search for "lorem" before publishing: dummy text left on a live website is a common, embarrassing mistake.
Options explained
- Paragraphs contain 4–7 sentences each, like body copy.
- Sentences are 8–17 words long, good for intros and captions.
- Words gives an exact word count, ideal for headings and buttons.
- List items are short phrases for bullet lists and menus.
- HTML wraps paragraphs in <p> tags and lists in <ul><li>, ready to paste into code.
The classic opening
"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua." This sentence is so familiar that clients instantly recognise it as placeholder text, which is exactly what you want in a draft. Untick the option if you'd rather the text look less obviously fake.
Frequently asked questions
What does lorem ipsum mean?
It doesn’t mean anything as written. It is scrambled Latin from a text by Cicero, chosen because it looks like ordinary writing without being readable.
Why do designers use lorem ipsum?
It fills a layout with realistic-looking text so people focus on the design rather than reading the words.
How do I get lorem ipsum in HTML?
Tick “Wrap in HTML tags”. Paragraphs are wrapped in
tags and list items in a
- list.
How many words are in a paragraph of lorem ipsum?
Each generated paragraph has about 50 to 100 words, similar to a typical paragraph of web copy.
Is lorem ipsum free to use?
Yes. It is in the public domain and can be used in any project.
Last updated October 2026 · More text tools