cube

[ kyoob ]

See synonyms for: cube cubed cubes cubing on Thesaurus.com

noun

a solid bounded by six equal squares, the angle between any two adjacent faces being a right angle.
an object, either solid or hollow, having this form or a form approximating it: a cube of cheese; plastic storage cubes.

sugar cube.
flashcube.
Mathematics. the third power of a quantity, expressed as a3 = a·a·a.
Informal. cubic inch, especially as a measure of the displacement of an automotive engine: a new sports car with 350 cubes.
Slang. one of a pair of dice; die.
Slang. a person who is unaware of or unfamiliar with current ideas, opinions, trends, etc.; square.

verb (used with object),cubed, cub·ing.

to make into a cube or cubes.
to cut into cubes.

Mathematics. to raise to the third power.
to measure the cubic contents of.
to tenderize (a thin cut or slice of meat) by scoring the fibers in a pattern of squares.

Origin of cube

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English cubus, from Latin, from Greek kýbos “cube, die”

Other words from cube

cuber, noun

Other definitions for cube (2 of 2)

cube²

[ kyoo-bey ]

noun

any of several tropical plants of the legume family that are used in making fish poisons and insecticides.

Origin of cube

First recorded in 1920–25; from Latin American Spanish cubé; further origin uncertain

Also cu·bé [kyoo-bey]. /kyuˈbeɪ/.

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

How to use cube in a sentence

If your bread is fresh, cut it into cubes, place on a rack set over a baking sheet and leave it uncovered on the counter overnight.
Instant Pot delivers the silkiest bread pudding we’ve ever tried | Jessie Sheehan | December 11, 2020 | Washington Post
I use leftover ice cubes from my husband's lunch cooler to save water.
Hints From Heloise: Good manners are for the road, too | Heloise Heloise | November 23, 2020 | Washington Post
Off the top of his head, Jerolmack could picture a few real-world fractured rocks that didn’t look like rectangles or cubes at all but could still be classified into this larger space.
Scientists Uncover the Universal Geometry of Geology | Joshua Sokol | November 19, 2020 | Quanta Magazine
I then pulse the cubes in a food processor to transform them into crumbs.
Homemade, seasoned breadcrumbs add crunch and flavor to pastas, vegetables and more | Jesse Szewczyk | October 30, 2020 | Washington Post
That glycogen can run out if you work out for long enough, which is why marathon runners and other endurance athletes often choose to down a little jelly cube full of carbohydrates—because it provides needed fuel for their muscles.
Is Gatorade actually better than water? | Sara Chodosh | September 29, 2020 | Popular-Science

The squaring and the cubing of numbers are performed by the assistant behind the scenes, with the aid of logarithmic tables.
Magic, Stage Illusions and Scientific Diversions Including Trick Photography | Albert A. Hopkins
A class of Mathematicians still continues to publish papers and pamphlets on squaring, cubing, and trisecting.
Scientific Studies | Henry Dircks
Superficial measures are derived by squaring those of length; and measures of capacity by cubing them.
Commentaries on the Laws of England | William Blackstone

British Dictionary definitions for cube (1 of 2)

cube¹

/ (kjuːb) /

noun

a solid having six plane square faces in which the angle between two adjacent sides is a right angle
the product of three equal factors: the cube of 2 is 2 × 2 × 2 (usually written 2³)

something in the form of a cube: a bath cube

verb

to raise (a number or quantity) to the third power
(tr) to measure the cubic contents of

(tr) to make, shape, or cut (something, esp food) into cubes
(tr) US and Canadian to tenderize (meat) by scoring into squares or by pounding with a device which has a surface of metal cubes

Origin of cube

C16: from Latin cubus die, cube, from Greek kubos

Derived forms of cube

cuber, noun

British Dictionary definitions for cube (2 of 2)

cube²

/ (ˈkjuːbeɪ) /

noun

any of various tropical American plants, esp any of the leguminous genus Lonchocarpus, the roots of which yield rotenone
an extract from the roots of these plants: a fish poison and insecticide

Origin of cube

American Spanish cubé, of unknown origin

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 cube

cube

[ kyōōb ]

Verb

To multiply a number or a quantity by itself three times; raise to the third power. For example, five cubed is 5 X 5 X 5.

Noun

The product that results when a number or quantity is cubed. For example, the cube of 5 is 125.
A solid having six equal square faces or sides.

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