noun
Common
ve
vee
Ve (noun) means the name of the Cyrillic letter В/в. Example: “The letter ve looks like a capital B in the Latin alphabet.”
noun
1
The name of the Cyrillic letter В/в.
"The letter ve looks like a capital B in the Latin alphabet."
"Learners often pronounce the Cyrillic ve like the English letter v."
"In the Russian alphabet, ve comes right after "u.""
pron
1
A gender-neutral pronoun used instead of "he" or "she," similar to singular "they."
"The new manager said ve would join us for lunch."
"Ve is a friend of mine, and ve loves hiking."
"Ve held up vis right hand; I reached down and took it, and began to haul ver up; ve shook vis head impatiently."
— Greg Egan, Distress (1995)
"Ve told me ve would be late to the meeting."
How to use ve
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the Cyrillic letter name, or a gender-neutral pronoun.
When to use it
The gender-neutral pronoun sense is uncommon and used mainly in specific inclusive-language communities.
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Word forms
- Plural
- ves
- Adjective
- vis
- Noun form
- vers
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The letter _____ looks like a capital B in the Latin alphabet.
Etymology
The pronoun sense was coined in English; the letter name is borrowed from Russian вэ.
Frequently asked questions
What does “ve” mean?
The word “ve” means the name of the Cyrillic letter В/в. In plain terms, either the Cyrillic letter name, or a gender-neutral pronoun.
How do you pronounce “ve”?
“Ve” is pronounced vee (/vi/ in IPA).
How do you use “ve” in a sentence?
Here is “ve” used in a sentence: “In the Russian alphabet, ve comes right after "u.".”
What part of speech is “ve”?
Depending on how it is used, “ve” can be a noun and a pronoun.
Where does the word “ve” come from?
The word “ve” comes from Russian. The pronoun sense was coined in English; the letter name is borrowed from Russian вэ.
Is “ve” a common word?
“Ve” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “ve” have?
“Ve” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the name of the Cyrillic letter В/в.
What sound does the Cyrillic letter Ve make?
Ve represents the same sound as the English letter V, as in 'van.' Although it looks identical to a Latin capital B, it is not a B sound. It appears in many Slavic words written in Cyrillic, including the Russian word for 'you,' spelt вы.
What is the difference between Cyrillic Ve and the Latin letter B?
They look the same but sound different. Cyrillic Ve is pronounced like V, while Latin B is pronounced like B. This is a classic false friend between the two alphabets, and the Cyrillic letter that actually makes a B sound is Б, called Be.
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