noun
kew
kyoo
Kew (noun) means the name of the letter "Q" in the Latin alphabet. Example: “He spelled it out letter by letter: "kew, you, ee".”
noun
1
The name of the letter "Q" in the Latin alphabet.
"The following telegram with explain this: "Your suggestion approved stop the troops proceeding to ex those to wye and zed and the detachment at kew must be completed to ten days rations.""
— Richard Cyril Byrne Haking, Staff Rides and Regimental Tours (1908)
""As usual I got me pees an' kews mixed up.""
— Michael Moorcock, The Condition of Muzak (2016)
"He spelled it out letter by letter: "kew, you, ee"."
How to use kew
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA rarely written-out name for the letter Q, mostly seen in linguistic or historical discussion.
When to use it
Very uncommon outside specialist or historical writing about letter names.
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Word forms
- Plural
- kews
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He spelled it out letter by letter: "_____, you, ee".
Etymology
From Middle English pronunciation of the letter, ultimately tied to the French name for "Q".
Frequently asked questions
What does “kew” mean?
The word “kew” means the name of the letter "Q" in the Latin alphabet. In plain terms, a rarely written-out name for the letter Q, mostly seen in linguistic or historical discussion.
How do you pronounce “kew”?
“Kew” is pronounced kyoo (/kjuː/ in IPA).
How do you use “kew” in a sentence?
Here is “kew” used in a sentence: “He spelled it out letter by letter: "kew, you, ee".”
What part of speech is “kew”?
“Kew” is a noun.
Where does the word “kew” come from?
The word “kew” comes from French. From Middle English pronunciation of the letter, ultimately tied to the French name for "Q".
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