queue

American  

[kyoo] / kyu /

noun

1. a braid of hair worn hanging down behind.

2. a file or line, especially of people waiting their turn.

3. Computers. a FIFO-organized sequence of items, as data, messages, jobs, or the like, waiting for action.

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verb (used with or without object)

queued, queuing

1. to form in a line while waiting (often followed byup ).

2. Computers. to arrange (data, jobs, messages, etc.) into a queue.

queue British  

/ kjuː /

noun

1. a line of people, vehicles, etc, waiting for something

   a queue at the theatre

2. computing a list in which entries are deleted from one end and inserted at the other

3. a pigtail

4. See queue-jump

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verb

1. to form or remain in a line while waiting

2. computing to arrange (a number of programs) in a predetermined order for accessing by a computer

Other Word Forms

• queuer noun

Etymology

Origin of queue

First recorded in 1585–95; from Middle French, from Latin cauda, cōda “tail”

Explanation

A queue is a line of things, usually people. If you go to the store on a big sale day, there will probably be a long queue at the check-out. Queue comes from the Latin cauda, for "tail." Outside the United States it means a line of people or vehicles waiting their turn, so if your English friend talks about queuing up for the movies, that means getting in line for a ticket. We also use it in computing to mean an order of messages to be sent. In a big office, you send documents to the printer queue, and they're printed in the order they are sent.

Example Sentences

"They didn't explain but one of the fans in the queue said he reckons that it might be the release date of the album."

From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026

Each month, we provide an inside look at a documentary and others you should add to your queue.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

"I remember that day," fan Phil Hollins says as he waits in an hour-long queue for Chelsea tickets.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

Passionately defending cinema on the big screen and then waiting for the next suggested movie to segue into our queue.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026

There was already a small queue for the tap in the corner of the field.

From "Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire" by J. K. Rowling