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

That is boosted to 20W when connected via the USB-C port. —Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026

Growth, however, has really accelerated over the past five years — with C-PACE lending posting double-digit gains — as more states pass policies enacting the program and more owners and lenders adopt the tool for financing projects. —Diana Olick, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2026

But this is not just about making 4-C great again. —Patricia Marx, New Yorker, 23 Jan. 2026

Simmer, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked, shreddable, and has an internal temperature of at least 185°F (85°C) and the cauliflower is very soft and falling apart, 40–45 minutes. —Hailee Catalano, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

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

Phrases Containing c

• 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