quote
kwoht
Quote (noun) means a short passage of words repeated from someone else. Example: “He kept a favourite quote from Churchill pinned above his desk.”
noun
1
A short passage of words repeated from someone else.
"He kept a favourite quote from Churchill pinned above his desk."
"The essay opens with a quote from a famous poem."
"She read out a short quote from the book to the class."
2
A stated price for a job or service.
"The plumber gave us a quote of two hundred pounds for the repair."
"We asked three builders for a quote before choosing one."
"The garage emailed me a written quote for the new tyres."
verb
1
To repeat someone's exact words.
"The newspaper quoted the mayor directly."
"Please quote your sources at the end of the essay."
"Journalists must quote people accurately and never change what they said."
How to use quote
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo repeat exact words from someone, or the price a business states for work — same word covers both.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
quote a price
quote someone directly
get a quote
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Word forms
- Plural
- quotes
- Third person singular
- quotes
- Past tense
- quoted
Fill the gap
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He kept a favourite _____ from Churchill pinned above his desk.
Etymology
From Medieval Latin quotāre, "to number chapters," itself from Latin quotus ("which one in sequence"). The sense shifted over centuries from "cite a reference" to "repeat exact words" to "state a price."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
end quote
unquote
Related words
Rhymes for quote
See all rhymes for quote →Frequently asked questions
What does “quote” mean?
The word “quote” means a short passage of words repeated from someone else. In plain terms, to repeat exact words from someone, or the price a business states for work — same word covers both.
How do you pronounce “quote”?
“Quote” is pronounced kwoht ([kʰwoʊt] in IPA).
How do you use “quote” in a sentence?
Here is “quote” used in a sentence: “He kept a favourite quote from Churchill pinned above his desk.”
What is the opposite of “quote”?
The opposite of “quote” — its antonyms — are end quote and unquote.
What part of speech is “quote”?
Depending on how it is used, “quote” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “quote” come from?
The word “quote” comes from Medieval Latin. From Medieval Latin quotāre, "to number chapters," itself from Latin quotus ("which one in sequence"). The sense shifted over centuries from "cite a reference" to "repeat exact words" to "state a price.".
Is “quote” a common word?
“Quote” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “quote” have?
“Quote” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a short passage of words repeated from someone else.
What is the difference between a 'quote' and a 'quotation'?
Traditionally, 'quotation' is the noun for a repeated passage and 'quote' is the verb for repeating it. In everyday modern English, though, most people use 'quote' as a noun too, so 'a famous quote' and 'a famous quotation' mean the same thing. The shorter form is simply more casual.
What is the difference between quoting and paraphrasing?
A quote reproduces someone's exact words, usually inside quotation marks and credited to the source. Paraphrasing restates their idea in your own words without copying the wording. Both should credit the original speaker, but only a quote claims to give the precise language that was actually used.
Does 'quote' have other meanings?
Yes. Besides a repeated passage of words, 'quote' commonly means a price estimate — the figure a business gives for a job, as in 'a quote for the repairs.' In finance it can also mean the current listed price of a share, so context decides the meaning.
What is an example of a quote?
A famous quote is a line credited to a specific person, such as 'I think, therefore I am,' attributed to the philosopher Descartes. Repeating those exact words and naming their source turns the sentence into a quote rather than just an ordinary statement of your own.
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