Definition of
Q
- (noun, communication) the 17th letter of the Roman alphabet
via WordNet, Princeton University
Alternate forms of Q
Hypernyms: alphabetic character, letter, letter of the alphabet
Origin of the word Q
- 16th letter of the classical Roman alphabet, from the Phoenician equivalent of Heb. koph, which was used for the more guttural of the two "k" sounds in Semitic. The letter existed, but was little used and not alphabetized, in Gk.; the stereotypical connection with -u- began in Latin. Anglo-Saxon scribes adopted the habit at first, but later used spellings with … more
via Online Etymology Dictionary, ©2001 Douglas Harper