c

1 of 5

noun

ˈsē 

variants often C

plural c's or cs ˈsēz 

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 c̄ [Latin cum] with

—used in writing prescriptions

28

cup

29

curie

c

3 of 5

symbol (1)

speed of light

—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

Did you know?

Words Starting With C

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

Examples of c in a Sentence

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

Thanks to their single-cable connectivity, espresso’s displays support USB-C power delivery, which means the screens can draw their power and video signal from the host laptop with just one cable. —Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026

The numbers themselves are marginal for 90-degree weather, including 850 mb temperatures being at just 17° C today. —Ron Smiley, CBS News, 18 May 2026

Those batteries charge off-grid via 800 watts of rooftop solar (expandable to 1,200 W) and an auxiliary 6,500-W alternator, keeping the 48-V electrical system live and ready for the full two weeks, with that running A/C will drive the battery reserves down much quicker. —C.c. Weiss may 17, New Atlas, 17 May 2026

The bar includes two standard outlets that can be used for the TV, a speaker, or a fan, as well as USB and USB-C charging ports. —Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 16 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

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

Phrases Containing c

• c-suite
• c to c
• cytochrome c

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 c̄ [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