quid
1 Americannoun
noun
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quid
plural
noun
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slang one pound sterling
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slang in a very favourable or advantageous position
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slang mentally subnormal
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of quid1
First recorded in 1720–30; dialectal variant of cud
Origin of quid2
First recorded in 1680–90; origin uncertain
Explanation
A quid is a hunk or wad of something you chew. I don't recommend shoving a quid of gum in your mouth right before you give your speech. Quid, defined in the 1720s as "a portion suitable to be chewed or held in the mouth," shares a source with cud, as in what a cow chews. The Old English root of both is cudu, "gum or resin." Quid is also British slang for one pound sterling, which may derive from the Latin word meaning "that which is." Order fish and chips in a London pub and you may hear, "That'll be six quid, mate."
Vocabulary lists containing quid
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.
Federal prosecutors nonetheless indicted me on public corruption charges, alleging a quid pro quo.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
Since the Cold War, other countries that maintained their holdings of dollars and U.S. securities in no small part for security reasons, reflecting an implicit quid pro quo for America’s defense shield.
From Barron's ● Jun. 5, 2026
District Judge Katherine Menendez, presiding over Minnesota’s request to end what locals officials have called a federal occupation, seemed to recognize the quid pro quo at play.
From Salon ● Jan. 28, 2026
He said after he had run off he returned to the car, believing Mr Ali would have also fled, and Mr Shabir drove back to Keighley where he gave him a "couple of quid".
From BBC ● Dec. 1, 2025
“Wilcox's lost his wallet, right, with hundreds of quid in it!”
From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell
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.
