quote

quote [kwoht] Word Origin verb (used with object), quot·ed, quot·ing.

1. to repeat (a passage, phrase, etc.) from a book, speech, or the like, as by way of authority, illustration, etc.
2. to repeat words from (a book, author, etc.).
3. to use a brief excerpt from: The composer quotes Beethoven’s Fifth in his latest work.
4. to cite, offer, or bring forward as evidence or support.
5. to enclose (words) within quotation marks.
6. Commerce.
   1. to state (a price).
   2. to state the current price of.

verb (used without object), quot·ed, quot·ing.

7. to make a quotation or quotations, as from a book or author.
8. (used by a speaker to indicate the beginning of a quotation.)

noun

9. a quotation.
10. quotation mark.

Idioms

11. quote unquote, so called; so to speak; as it were: If you’re a liberal, quote unquote, they’re suspicious of you.

Origin of quote 1350–1400; 1880–85 for def 9; Middle English coten, quoten (Old French coter) Medieval Latin quotāre to divide into chapters and verses, derivative of Latin quot how manyRelated formsquot·er, nounout·quote, verb (used with object), out·quot·ed, out·quot·ing.pre·quote, verb (used with object), pre·quot·ed, pre·quot·ing.re·quote, verb (used with object), re·quot·ed, re·quot·ing.su·per·quote, verb, su·per·quot·ed, su·per·quot·ing, nounun·quot·ed, adjectiveCan be confusedquotation quote British Dictionary definitions for quote unquote quote verb

1. to recite a quotation (from a book, play, poem, etc), esp as a means of illustrating or supporting a statement
2. (tr) to put quotation marks round (a word, phrase, etc)
3. stock exchange to state (a current market price) of (a security or commodity)

noun

4. an informal word for quotation (def. 1), quotation (def. 2), quotation (def. 3), quotation (def. 4)
5. (often plural) an informal word for quotation mark put it in quotes

interjection

6. an expression used parenthetically to indicate that the words that follow it form a quotationthe president said, quote, I shall not run for office in November, unquote

Word Origin for quote C14: from Medieval Latin quotāre to assign reference numbers to passages, from Latin quot how many Word Origin and History for quote unquote quote v.

late 14c., coten, “to mark (a book) with chapter numbers or marginal references,” from Old French coter, from Medieval Latin quotare “distinguish by numbers, number chapters,” from Latin quotus “which in order? what number (in sequence)?,” from quot “how many,” from PIE *kwo-ti-, from pronomial root *kwo- (see who).

The sense development is via “to give as a reference, to cite as an authority” (1570s) to “to copy out or repeat exact words” (1670s). Modern spelling with qu- is from early 15c. The business sense of “to state the price of a commodity” (1866) revives the etymological meaning. Related: Quoted; quoting.

quote n.

“a quotation,” 1885, from quote (v.). From c.1600 as “a marginal reference.” Quotes for “quotation marks” is from 1869.