cue

1 of 5

noun (1)

ˈkyü

Synonyms of cue next

: the letter q

cue

2 of 5

noun (2)

: a signal (such as a word, phrase, or bit of stage business) to a performer to begin a specific speech or action

That last line is your cue to exit the stage.

: something serving a comparable purpose : hint

I'll take that yawn as my cue to leave.

: a feature indicating the nature of something perceived

The expressions on people's faces give us visual cues about their feelings.

archaic : the part one has to perform in or as if in a play

archaic : mood, humor

cue

3 of 5

verb (1)

cued; cuing or cueing

transitive verb

: to give a cue to : prompt

cued the band to begin

: to insert into a continuous performance

cue in sound effects

cue

4 of 5

noun (3)

: a leather-tipped tapering rod for striking the cue ball (as in billiards and pool)

: a long-handled instrument with a concave head for shoving disks in shuffleboard

: queue sense 2

cue

5 of 5

verb (2)

cued; cuing or cueing

transitive verb

: queue

: to strike with a cue

intransitive verb

: queue

: to use a cue

Examples of cue in a Sentence

Noun (2) taking a cue from nature, scientists are developing safe and effective insecticides using insect hormones Noun (3) the cue to get tickets to the concert moved with agonizing slowness

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Yet these gripping, spectacular singers became alter egos, seeming to take cues from each other from their different sides of the stage and different worlds and beings. —

Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2024 For the show’s opening cue, as Bass is on a horse trotting behind Confederate soldiers, Dancy used the timpani for the military nod. —

Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 17 June 2024 But much of it comes in from subtle cues in the production design. —

Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 17 June 2024 The irreplaceable power of a human touch in a digital world Nonverbal cues such as body language, subtle gestures, and vocal nuances are crucial aspects of human interaction and communication that cannot be fully captured through text and images. —

Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 17 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for cue

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cue.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English cu half a farthing (spelled form of q, abbreviation for Latin quadrans quarter of an as)

Noun (2) and Verb (1)

probably from qu, abbreviation (used as a direction in actors' copies of plays) of Latin quando when

Noun (3) and Verb (2)

French queue, literally, tail, from Old French cue, coe, queue, from Latin cauda

First Known Use

Noun (1)

circa 1755, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1553, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (1)

1922, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

circa 1749, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (2)

circa 1784, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of cue was in 1553

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Cue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cue. Accessed 27 Jun. 2024.

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Kids Definition

cue

1 of 3 noun

ˈkyü

: a word, phrase, or action in a play serving as a signal for the next actor to speak or do something

: something serving as a signal or suggestion : hint

cue

2 of 3 verb

cued; cuing

: to give a cue to

cue

3 of 3 noun

: a tapering rod used in playing billiards or pool

: queue entry 1 sense 2

Etymology

Noun

probably from q or qu, abbreviations for Latin quando "when," formerly used in actors' copies of scripts of plays

Noun

from French queue "tail, a line of people," from early French cue, coe "tail," from Latin cauda "tail" — related to coward, queue, coda see Word History at coward, queue

Medical Definition

cue

noun

ˈkyü

: a minor stimulus acting as an indication of the nature of the perceived object or situation

foreshortened lines in the picture are cues to depth perception

Last Updated: 23 Jun 2024 - Updated example sentences

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cue

noun (1)

noun (2)

verb (1)

noun (3)

verb (2)

Synonyms

Examples of cue in a Sentence

Word History

Dictionary Entries Near cue

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Medical Definition