preposition
qua
kwah
Qua (preposition) means In the role or capacity of; as. Example: “He was acting qua president of the company, not as a private citizen.”
preposition
1
In the role or capacity of; as.
"He was acting qua president of the company, not as a private citizen."
"It was qua poet that Byron resurrected the exploded and discarded immortal Christian soul by bodying it forth through the notion of soul conceived as poetic imagination."
— Roy Porter, Flesh in the Age of Reason (2003)
"Sometimes, though, you pick up a novel and it makes your skin prickle — not necessarily because it’s a great novel qua novel, which you can’t know until the end, but because of the velocity of its microperceptions."
— Dwight Garner, In Jennifer Egan’s New Novel, Our Memories Are Available for All to See (2022)
How to use qua
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA formal, mostly academic or legal word meaning "in the role of" or "as."
When to use it
Formal/academic — rarely used in everyday speech.
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He was acting _____ president of the company, not as a private citizen.
Etymology
Borrowed directly from Latin quā, meaning "in the capacity of."
Synonyms
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Rhymes for qua
See all rhymes for qua →Frequently asked questions
What does “qua” mean?
The word “qua” means in the role or capacity of; as. In plain terms, a formal, mostly academic or legal word meaning "in the role of" or "as.".
How do you pronounce “qua”?
“Qua” is pronounced kwah (/kwɑː/ in IPA).
How do you use “qua” in a sentence?
Here is “qua” used in a sentence: “He was acting qua president of the company, not as a private citizen.”
What part of speech is “qua”?
“Qua” is a preposition.
Where does the word “qua” come from?
The word “qua” comes from Latin. Borrowed directly from Latin quā, meaning "in the capacity of.".
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