cube
1 Americannoun
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a solid bounded by six equal squares, the angle between any two adjacent faces being a right angle.
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an object, either solid or hollow, having this form or a form approximating it.
a cube of cheese; plastic storage cubes.
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sugar cube.
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Mathematics. the third power of a quantity, expressed as a 3 = aaa.
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Informal. cubic inch, especially as a measure of the displacement of an automotive engine.
a new sports car with 350 cubes.
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Slang. one of a pair of dice; die.
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Slang. a person who is unaware of or unfamiliar with current ideas, opinions, trends, etc.; square.
verb (used with object)
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to make into a cube or cubes.
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to cut into cubes.
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Mathematics. to raise to the third power.
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to measure the cubic contents of.
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to tenderize (a thin cut or slice of meat) by scoring the fibers in a pattern of squares.
noun
noun
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a solid having six plane square faces in which the angle between two adjacent sides is a right angle
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the product of three equal factors: the cube of 2 is 2 × 2 × 2 (usually written 2³)
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something in the form of a cube
a bath cube
verb
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to raise (a number or quantity) to the third power
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(tr) to measure the cubic contents of
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(tr) to make, shape, or cut (something, esp food) into cubes
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(tr) to tenderize (meat) by scoring into squares or by pounding with a device which has a surface of metal cubes
noun
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any of various tropical American plants, esp any of the leguminous genus Lonchocarpus, the roots of which yield rotenone
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an extract from the roots of these plants: a fish poison and insecticide
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The product that results when a number or quantity is cubed. For example, the cube of 5 is 125.
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A solid having six equal square faces or sides.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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cubesimple
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cubessimple
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have cubedperfect
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has cubedperfect
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am cubingprogressive
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are cubingprogressive
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is cubingprogressive
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have been cubingperfect progressive
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has been cubingperfect progressive
Past
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cubedsimple
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had cubedperfect
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was cubingprogressive
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were cubingprogressive
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had been cubingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of cube1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English cubus, from Latin, from Greek kýbos “cube, die”
Origin of cube2
First recorded in 1920–25; from Latin American Spanish cubé; further origin uncertain
Explanation
In math, a cube is a number multiplied by itself three times. The cube of 2 is 8 (2 x 2 x 2). It is also a three-dimensional shape where each of the six sides is a square or something shaped like a cube, such as an ice cube or meat cut into cubes. The noun cube goes back to the Greek word kybos, which was a six-sided die used in games. As a verb, cube means to cut into cube shapes. You can buy cookie dough that is ready for baking and formed into cubes. Place each cube on the cookie sheet, and the dough becomes a dozen round cookies — or fewer if you pop a cookie dough cube into your mouth before baking!
Vocabulary lists containing cube
Words to Know Before You Defrost the Bird
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The ACT Math Test: Number and Quantity
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Middle School Geometry, List 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Each item -- described online as a "sculpture" -- is sealed inside a tiny plastic cube to avoid leaking or smells.
From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026
According to Nex, the cube has now surpassed a million lifetime units sold since its launch in December 2023 in US and Canada.
From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2026
In the lobby, customers stand before a giant cube with four 10-foot by 10-foot screens.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 17, 2026
A cube of feta tucked into a tomato salad.
From Salon ● Jun. 9, 2026
Full-on panicking, and all the comfort she felt from her notes with Keeper melted away like a sugar cube in a cup of hot tea.
From "Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World" by Ashley Herring Blake
For larger or thicker cubes, briefly cook the pancetta in a skillet before adding it to the tarts.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
The T2K neutrino-oscillation experiment in Japan, for example, uses a detector with about two tons of sensitive material made from approximately two million cubes and 60,000 fibers.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026
My favorite section of the neighborhood grocery store happens to be the non-perishable aisle, where boxed broths, bouillon cubes, instant noodles and other handy pantry staples live.
From Salon ● Jun. 13, 2026
These are tiny, no-frills cubes stacked one atop another in a row.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 6, 2026
I point my tongue like a parrot’s, letting it touch the ice cubes that tumble toward my mouth.
From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen
Renderings of the structure, which is situated in Symphony Park, show a cubed modernist building with a large awning that stretches over a bustling entry plaza to provide shade.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 17, 2025
"One microgram per meter cubed might sound fairly small, but we have to think about how people are exposed to wildfire smoke," Casey said.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 25, 2024
In panel systems, relatively short pieces of straw are packed together at just the right density, about 110 kg per metre cubed, so that the volume of air inside creates an insulating effect.
From BBC ● Feb. 1, 2024
After a few casserole prototypes that included ingredients like celery salt and cubed ham, Reilly eventually settled on the final recipe for her “Green Bean Bake.”
From Salon ● Nov. 12, 2023
The guidance counselor increased the frequency of the boy’s tutoring sessions to three times a week, which, mathematically speaking, cubed the boy’s anger.
From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman
Nedoroscik, a seeming Rubik's cube aficionado, took to his Instagram account ahead of his team competition to get some cubing time in.
From Salon ● Jul. 31, 2024
“The speed cubing community has saved our lives — it literally saved Max’s life and our lives.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2023
“The deeper I go into the realm of cubing technique, the more I find interest in pushing the boundaries of what’s possible there,” he said.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 26, 2023
His parents, who encouraged his gift for cubing, hoped participating in competitions would help him learn social and emotional skills.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 29, 2020
The estimate of cost and the cubing was there.
From The Roll-Call by Bennett, Arnold
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
