queue etymology

Etymology:

• Middle English: quewe, from Old English: cweu, cwa
• Germanic: *kwezō
• Proto-Indo-European: *(s)keu-

Meaning and Origin:

The word "queue" originally referred to the tail of an animal. It originates from the Proto-Indo-European root *(s)keu-, meaning "to bend, curve, or turn." In Old English, the word "cweu" or "cwa" referred specifically to the tail of a fox or wolf.

Over time, the meaning of "queue" expanded to include any sort of trailing end or line, such as:

• A line or waiting list of people
• The end of a braid of hair
• The trailing edge of a comet
• The end of a musical note

The word "queue" can also be used as a verb to describe the act of waiting in line or forming a line.

queue relate terms

• coda

  Etymology Latin coda meaning tail Meaning A section movement or passage at the

• queue

  Etymology Middle English quewe from Old English cweu cwa Germanic kwezō Proto In

• line

  Etymology The word line originates from the Old French word ligne which in turn deri

• list

  Etymology The word list has several etymologies Old English liste meaning a bord

• silt

  Etymology The word silt comes from the Middle English word sylt which in turn may d

• plait

  Etymology and Origin The word plait originates from the Old French word pleite whic

• braid

  Etymology Middle English brade from Old English bregdan to twist weave Germanic

• stand

  Etymology Old English standan from Proto Germanic standaną related to Old High

• wait

  Etymology Old English wæht Proto Germanic wahti Proto Indo European weh t woh t

• stand up

  Etymology The term stand up originated in the early 1900s in the United States It is a

• twist

  Etymology The word twist comes from the Old English word twist or twyst which ulti