cue

1 of 5

noun (1)

: the letter q

cue

2 of 5

noun (2)

1
a
: 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.
b
: something serving a comparable purpose : hint
I'll take that yawn as my cue to leave.
2
: a feature indicating the nature of something perceived
The expressions on people's faces give us visual cues about their feelings.
3
archaic : the part one has to perform in or as if in a play
4
archaic : mood, humor

cue

3 of 5

verb (1)

cued; cuing or cueing

transitive verb

1
: to give a cue to : prompt
cued the band to begin
2
: to insert into a continuous performance
cue in sound effects

cue

4 of 5

noun (3)

1
a
: a leather-tipped tapering rod for striking the cue ball (as in billiards and pool)
b
: a long-handled instrument with a concave head for shoving disks in shuffleboard
2

cue

5 of 5

verb (2)

cued; cuing or cueing

transitive verb

1
: queue
2
: to strike with a cue

intransitive verb

1
: queue
2
: to use a cue

Examples of cue in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
In designing their Manhattan loft, a couple took cues from their wide-ranging collection. Davit Giorgadze Kk Obi, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024 Another key recommendation is to slow down while eating and listen to fullness cues, said Yancy. Kristen Fischer, Health, 15 Mar. 2024 The vessel takes design cues from the 206-foot Metis—the award-winning superyacht that Cassetta and Benetti delivered in 2018—but is larger and arguably more luxurious than her predecessor. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 15 Mar. 2024 The question was meant to serve as Cena's cue to come onstage. USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2024 Wake would like to see additional work assessing the hormonal cues that prepare a caecilian mother for parental care. Popular Science, 7 Mar. 2024 Or, take a cue from this best-selling shampoo, and moisturize your hair from the inside out. Alyssa Grabinski, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024 Here are our hunches on the six big categories (Best Picture, Best Director, and the four acting awards), as well some opinions on who — in a just and perfect world [cue laugh track] — should be going home with Oscars this year. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 4 Mar. 2024 Similarly, interviewers must be mindful of how relying on social cues like body language or eye contact can discriminate against neurodiverse individuals. Jennifer "jay" Palumbo, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
Verb
February, which marks Black History Month, is the perfect time to cue up movies that explore and honor moments both large and small, joyous and heart-wrenching, from modern Black history. Lisa Wong MacAbasco, Vogue, 10 Feb. 2024 For over six decades now, the Grammy Awards have consistently cued up iconic musical moments. USA TODAY, 5 Feb. 2024 That will cue a period of negotiation and debate that could echo a hot topic in the Legislature nine years ago. Stacey Barchenger, The Arizona Republic, 28 Jan. 2024 Jimmy described Timberlake giving him some meticulous swing advice, before cueing up the video of Fallon sinking the shot and getting lifted up into the air by an overjoyed Kelce. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 26 Jan. 2024 The instrumentalists and dancers work in tandem, with the music cuing specific steps and the person under the lion’s tail following the dancer under the head. Marisa Iati, Washington Post, 9 Feb. 2024 Add holiday parties, cue those TV segments in which we’re told to eat a handful of almonds before arriving, and, well, lookeee here, somebody’s pants don’t fit. Anna Caplan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Jan. 2024 That cued up the No. 2 Billboard Hot 100 hit about pushing away material riches in lieu of women speaking up, and out for themselves. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 9 Jan. 2024 Her costars Greg Germann, Peter MacNicol and Gil Bellows then emerged from the bathroom stalls, cuing up one of the show's famous fantasy dance numbers, led by Flockhart, as the group made their way to the center of Los Angeles' Peacock Theater's stage to present an award. Dory Jackson, Peoplemag, 16 Jan. 2024

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

Dictionary Entries Near cue

Cite this Entry

“Cue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cue. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cue

1 of 3 noun
1
: a word, phrase, or action in a play serving as a signal for the next actor to speak or do something
2
: 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
1
: a tapering rod used in playing billiards or pool
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
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on cue

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