c

1 of 5

noun

plural c's or cs ˈsēz How to pronounce c (audio)
often capitalized, often attributive
1
a
: the 3rd letter of the English alphabet
b
: a graphic representation of this letter
c
: a speech counterpart of orthographic c
2
a
: one hundred see Table of Numbers
b
slang : a sum of $100
3
: the keynote of a C-major scale
4
: a graphic device for reproducing the letter c
5
: one designated c especially as the third in order or class
6
a
: a grade rating a student's work as fair or mediocre in quality
b
: one graded or rated with a C
7
: something shaped like the letter C
8
: a structured language for creating computer programs that is designed to be compact and efficient

c

2 of 5

abbreviation (1)

1
calm
2
calorie
3
canceled
4
candle
5
canine (see canine entry 1 sense 1)
6
carat
7
catcher
8
cent
9
centavo
10
centi-
11
centime
12
centimeter
13
century
14
chapter
15
charm (see charm entry 1 sense 5)
16
circa
17
circumference
18
clonus
19
closure
20
cocaine
21
coefficient
22
college
23
[Latin congius] gallon
24
contralto
25
copyright
26
cubic
27
or [Latin cum] with
used in writing prescriptions
28
cup
29
curie

c

3 of 5

symbol (1)

usually italic

C

4 of 5

abbreviation (2)

1
capacitance
2
Celsius
3
centigrade
4
cervical
used especially with a number from 1 to 7 to indicate a vertebra or segment of the spinal cord
5
Coulomb
6
cytosine

C

5 of 5

symbol (2)

carbon

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Words Starting With C

Browse 33,831 words and phrases that start with the letter C, from caaing whale to czechize.

Example Sentences

Noun The word “access” is spelled with two cs. Many English words begin with c. a song in the key of C
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Lauck wants to argue for a small-c conservative patriotism, a respect for entrepreneurship and industry tempered by an acknowledgment (contra the libertarians) that communal moral obligation exists. Phil Christman, The New Republic, 22 Feb. 2023 Lori Lightfoot made history as the first Black woman and first openly gay person to serve as Chicago mayor, sailing to victory four years ago as an outsider who vowed to rid City Hall of corruption and deliver a safer, more equitable c ... Sara Burnett, ajc, 21 Jan. 2023 This is the fourth planet discovered in the TOI 700 system – the other planets are named TOI 700 b, c, and d – which is 100 light-years away. CBS News, 11 Jan. 2023 This is just the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum (c) to the speed in the material (v). Wired, 13 Aug. 2022

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'c.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of c was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near c

Cite this Entry

“C.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/c. Accessed 26 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

c

noun
ˈsē
often capitalized
1
: the third letter of the English alphabet
2
: one hundred in Roman numerals
3
: a musical note referred to by the letter C : the tone on which a C-major scale is based
4
: a grade rating a student's work as fair or mediocre

Medical Definition

c

1 of 3 abbreviation
1
calorie
2
canine
3
cathode
4
centimeter
5
clonus
6
closure
7
cobalt
8
coefficient
9
contact
10
contraction
11
coulomb
12
curie
13
cylinder
14
or [Latin cum] with
used in writing prescriptions

C

2 of 3 abbreviation
1
Celsius
2
centigrade
3
cervical
used especially with a number from 1 to 7 to indicate a vertebra or segment of the spinal cord
4
cocaine
5
complement
6
congius
7
cytosine

C

3 of 3 symbol
carbon

Legal Definition

c

abbreviation
copyright

More from Merriam-Webster on c

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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