There's a big ticker tape parade for the U.S. women's soccer team. But Americans have no idea what ticker tape is.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

By Jeva Lange

published July 10, 2015

To wit:

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For the record: Ticker tape was once used to print out stock prices and other communication that was transmitted via telegraph lines. Ticker tape was in use for about a century, and was mostly phased out in the '70s. A narrow strip of paper would run through a stock ticker, and abbreviated company names and stock transactions would be printed on it. Ticker tape was kind of confetti-like, so it was fun to throw at princesses.

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