c

or c.

abbreviation

(with a year) about: c1775.

Origin of c

From Latin circā, circiter, circum

Words Nearby c

Other definitions for c (2 of 13)

c²

abbreviation

Optics. candle; candles.
cycle; cycles.

Other definitions for c (3 of 13)

c³

Symbol.

Physics, Optics. the speed of light in a vacuum: standardized as 186,282.4 miles per second (299,792,458 meters per second).
Physics, Acoustics. the speed of sound.

Other definitions for c̄ (4 of 13)

c̄

(in prescriptions) with.

Origin of c̄

⁴

From the Latin word cum

Other definitions for c≻ (5 of 13)

c≻

Printing.

capitals and small capitals.

Other definitions for C (6 of 13)

C¹

or c

[ see ]

noun,plural C's or Cs, c's or cs.

the third letter of the English alphabet, a consonant.
any spoken sound represented by the letter C or c, as in cat, race, or circle.

something having the shape of a C.
a written or printed representation of the letter C or c.
a device, as a printer's type, for reproducing the letter C or c.

Other definitions for C (7 of 13)

C²

noun

Computers. a high-level programming language: very powerful and flexible, it is used in a wide variety of applications.

Other definitions for C (8 of 13)

C³

abbreviation

cocaine.
Grammar. complement (def. 6).

consonant (def. 1).
Electricity. coulomb.
county (used with a number to designate a county road): C55.

Other definitions for C (9 of 13)

C⁴

Symbol.

the third in order or in a series.
(in some grading systems) a grade or mark, as in school or college, indicating the quality of a student's work as fair or average.: Sometimes c

Music.
- the first tone, or keynote, in the scale of C major or the third tone in the relative minor scale, A minor.
- a string, key, or pipe tuned to this tone.
- a written or printed note representing this tone.
- (in the fixed system of solmization) the first tone of the scale of C major, called do.
- the tonality having C as the tonic note.
- a symbol indicating quadruple time and appearing after the clef sign on a musical staff.
the Roman numeral for 100.: Sometimes c
Celsius (defs. 2, 3).
centigrade (def. 2).
Electricity.
- capacitance (def. 3).
- a battery size for 1.5 volt dry cells: diameter, 1 inch (2.5 centimeters); length, 1.9 inches (4.8 centimeters).
Chemistry. carbon (def. 1).
Physics.
- charge conjugation
- charm¹ (def. 9).
Biochemistry.
- cysteine.
- cytosine.
Also C-note. Slang. a hundred-dollar bill.
a proportional shoe width size, narrower than D and wider than B.
a proportional brassiere cup size, smaller than D and larger than B.
the lowest quality rating for a corporate or municipal bond.

Other definitions for C- (10 of 13)

C-

U.S. Military.

(in designations of transport aircraft) cargo: C-54; C-124.

Other definitions for c. (11 of 13)

c.¹

abbreviation

gallon.

Origin of c.

¹¹

From the Latin word congius

Other definitions for c. (12 of 13)

c.²

abbreviation

Optics. candle; candles.: Also c
carat.

carbon.
carton.
case.
Baseball. catcher.
cathode.
cent; cents.
centavo.
Football. center.
centigrade.
centime.
centimeter.
century.
chairman; chairperson.
chapter.
chief.
child.
church.
cirrus.
city.
cloudy.
cognate.
color.
copper.
copyright.
corps.
cubic.
cycle; cycles.: Also c

Other definitions for C. (13 of 13)

abbreviation

Calorie.
Cape.

Catholic.
Celsius.
Celtic.
Centigrade.
College.
(in Costa Rica and El Salvador) colon; colons.
Congress.
Conservative.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use c in a sentence

Rule 16(c) was a proposed change in the rules at the 1976 Republican Convention.
The World’s Toughest Political Quiz | Jeff Greenfield | December 31, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
“I just got my nails done,” gushes Michael c. Hall, extending his manicured, silver digits towards me.
Michael C. Hall on Going Drag for ‘Hedwig and the Angry Inch’ and Exorcising ‘Dexter’ | Marlow Stern | December 4, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Right off the bat, papyrologist Brice c. Jones noted that something was awry.
Dismembering History: The Shady Online Trade in Ancient Texts | Candida Moss | November 23, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Some were silent from shock, others giddy and smiling as they boarded the U.S. Air Force c-130s.
‘Argo’ in the Congo: The Ghosts of the Stanleyville Hostage Crisis | Nina Strochlic | November 23, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
“Chick Chick,” the latest tune by c-Pop sensation Wang Rong, is like “Gangnam Style” on MDMA.
The Most WTF Music Video of the Year: Wang Rong’s ‘Chick Chick’ is ‘Gangnam Style’ on MDMA | Marlow Stern | November 16, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST

c was a Captain, all covered with lace; D was a drunkard, and had a red face.
Boys and Girls Bookshelf; a Practical Plan of Character Building, Volume I (of 17) | Various
He was a bookseller, but better known as a translator of the German contributor to the Gentleman's Magazine, &c.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology | Joel Munsell
(c) Decomposition of exudates anywhere in the body, as in empyema, bronchiectasis, and large tuberculous cavities.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis | James Campbell Todd
En effet un soir, sa femme et enfans l'abandonnerent entierement, et s'en allerent cabaner ailleurs, pensant que c'en estoit vuid.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614 | Various
The usual forms are: (a) Ammoniomagnesium phosphate crystals; (b) acid calcium phosphate crystals; and (c) amorphous phosphates.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis | James Campbell Todd

British Dictionary definitions for c (1 of 7)

symbol for

centi-
cubic

cycle
maths constant
specific heat capacity
the speed of light and other types of electromagnetic radiation in a vacuum
chess See algebraic notation

British Dictionary definitions for c (2 of 7)

C

/ (siː) /

nounplural c's, C's or Cs

the third letter and second consonant of the modern English alphabet
a speech sound represented by this letter, in English usually either a voiceless alveolar fricative, as in cigar, or a voiceless velar stop, as in case

the third in a series, esp the third highest grade in an examination
- something shaped like a C
- (in combination): a C-spring

British Dictionary definitions for C (3 of 7)

symbol for

music
- a note having a frequency of 261.63 hertz (middle C) or this value multiplied or divided by any power of 2; the first degree of a major scale containing no sharps or flats (C major)
- a key, string, or pipe producing this note
- the major or minor key having this note as its tonic
- a time signature denoting four crotchet beats to the bar: See also alla breve (def. 2), common time
chem carbon

biochem cytosine
capacitance
heat capacity
cold (water)
physics compliance
Celsius
centigrade
century: C20
coulomb
(Roman numeral) 100: See Roman numerals

abbreviation for

Cuba (international car registration)

noun

a computer programming language combining the advantages of a high-level language with the ability to address the computer at a level comparable with that of an assembly language

British Dictionary definitions for C- (4 of 7)

C-

abbreviation for(of US military aircraft)

cargo transport: C-5

British Dictionary definitions for c. (5 of 7)

abbreviation for

carat
cricket caught

cent(s)
century or centuries
(used esp preceding a date) circa: c. 1800

Origin of c.

⁵

(for sense 5) Latin: about

British Dictionary definitions for C. (6 of 7)

abbreviation for

(on maps as part of name) Cape
Catholic

Celtic
Conservative
Corps

British Dictionary definitions for c/- (7 of 7)

c/-

abbreviation forAustralian (in addresses)

care of

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for c (1 of 2)

The symbol for the speed of light in a vacuum.

Scientific definitions for C (2 of 2)

Abbreviation of capacitance, capacitor, capacity, Celsius, charge conjugation, coulomb, cytosine

A programming language developed in 1972 and commonly used for writing professional software. With only a small number of built-in functions, it requires less memory than other languages, and because most if its functions are not specific to particular computers, it can be used on many different kinds of machines. The Unix operating system was written in C.

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