Q & A < an abbreviation
of Question and Answer [1954].
Qatar < (?) arabic
katran (= tar, resin) [in
reference to petroleum].
Q.E.D. < an abbreviation
of latin quod
erat demonstrandum (= which was to be
demonstrated).
q.t. < slang for quiet < middle english quiet < old french quiete (= rest, repose, tranquility)
< latin quies [gen. quietis] (= rest, repose, peace).
quadrille < french quadrille < spanish cuadrilla, a diminutive of cuadro (= four-sided battle
square) < latin quadrum (= a square), related
to quattuor (= four) < I.E.
*kwetwer- (= four).
quai < french quai < old french cai (= sand bank) < gaulish caium < old celtic *kagio- (= to enclose) < I.E. *kagh- (= catch, seize).
quake < old english cwacian (= quake, tremble).
qualify < middle english qualify
< middle french qualifier < medieval
latin qualifico [inf. qualificare]
(= make of a certain quality) < latin
qualis (= of what sort?) +
facio
[inf. facere] (= make, do).
quality < middle english quality
< old french qualite < latin qualitas (= quality, property,
nature, condition) < qualis (= what kind of ?) < I.E. *kwo-.
quantify < medieval latin quantifico
[inf. quantificare] < latin quantus (= as much) + facio
[inf. facere] (= make, do).
quantity < middle english quantity
< old french quantite / cantite < latin
quantitas (= relative greatness) < latin
quantus (= of what size?, how
much?, what amount?)
quantum < latin quantum, neuter of quantus (= as much, how much?)
< I.E. *kwo- [applied in physics by German
physicist Max Planck (1900)].
quarantine < italian quaranta [giorni] (= forty [days]) [an old policy for ships from
plague-stricken countries to wait off the port of Venetia for 40 days (also lazaretto), to protect its people from
contagious diseases] < quaranta (= 40) < latin quadraginta (= 40), related to
quattuor (= four) < I.E.
*kwetwer- (= four).
quark < german
Quark (= curds, rubbish)
< old church slavonic tvarogu (= curds, cottage cheese) < I.E. *teue-
(= to swell) [applied in physics by American physicist Murray Gell-Mann
(1964)].
quarrel (= angry dispute) < middle english quarrel
(= ground for complaint) < old french querele (= matter, concern,
dispute) < latin querella (= complaint, accusation) < queror [inf. queri] (= to complain, lament).
quarrel (= square-headed bolt
for a crossbow) < middle english
quarrel < old french quarel / carrel (= bolt, arrow) < vulgar latin *quadrellus < a diminutive of
late latin quadrus (= square), related to quattuor (= four) < I.E.
*kwetwer-
(= four).
quarry < middle english quirre (= entrails as a reward
to dogs of the chase) < anglo-french quirreie / old french
cuiriee (= the spoil, quarry)
[by influence of old french cuir (= skin)] < old french corée (= viscera, entrails) < vulgar latin *corata (= entrails) < latin cor [gen. cordis] (= heart) < I.E. *kerd- (= heart).
quart < middle english quart < old french quarte < latin quarta [pars]
(= a fourth [part]) < quarta, female of quartus (= fourth), related
to quattuor (= four) < I.E. *kwetwer- (= four).
quarter < middle english quarter < old french quartier / cartier < latin quartarius < quartus (= fourth), related
to quattuor (= four) < I.E. *kwetwer- (= four).
quartz < german Quarz / Zwarc (= rock crystal) < middle high german twarc < old church slavonic tvrudu (= hard) < proto-slavic *tvrd- < I.E. *(s)twer- (= to grasp, hold).
quasar < quasi
stellar
[radio source] (1963) < latin
quasi (= as if, just as, somewhat like) (< quam (= as) + si (= if)) + stellar (= pertaining to stars,
star-like) (< late latin stellaris (= starry) < stella (= star)).
quash < middle english quash
< old french quasser / casser (= to annul, declare
void) < medieval latin quasso [inf. quassare] < late latin casso [inf. cassare] (= to empty) < cassus (= null, empty).
quasi < middle english quasi
< latin quasi (= as if, just as, somewhat like) < quam (= as) + si (= if).
quasimodo (= Low Sunday, Quasimodo Sunday) < latin quasi modo [geniti infants] (= somewhat like [newborn babes]) [the first words of introit
for the first Sunday after Easter. Also, the Quasimodo, in Victor Hugo’s novel,
abandoned on this day as an infant at Notre Dame] < quasi (q.v.) + modus
(= mode).
quay < middle english key(e) / caye (= wharf) < old french cai (= sand bank) < gaulish caium < old celtic *kagio- (= to enclose) < I.E. *kagh- (= to catch, seize).
Quebec < canadian-french Quebec < algonquian /kepe:k/
(= strait, narrows).
quean < old english cwene (= woman, female serf)
< proto-germanic *kwenon < I.E. *gwen- (= woman).
queen < old english cwen (= queen, woman, wife) < proto-germanic *kwoeniz {> old norse
kvaen, old saxon quan, gothic quens} < *kwenon < I.E. *gwen- (= woman).
queer < scottish queer
< (?) low german queer (= oblique, off-center), related to german
quer
(= oblique, perverse, odd) < old
high german twerh (= oblique).
quell < old english cwellan (= kill, murder, execute) < proto-germanic *kwaljanan < I.E. *gwele- (= to throw).
quench < old english acwencan < proto-germanic *kwenkjanan.
Quentin < french Quentin
< latin Quin(c)tianus (= fifth [child in
birth order]) < quintus (= fifth), related
to quinque (= five) < I.E.
*penkwe-
(= five).
query < quaere
(= a question) < latin quaere,
imperative of quaero [inf. quaerere]
(= seek, ask, demand) < (?) I.E. *kwo-.
quest < middle english quest
< old french queste (= search, quest, chase,
hunt) < medieval latin questa (= search, inquiry) < latin
quaesita, female
past participle of quaero [inf. quaerere]
(= seek, ask, demand) < (?) I.E. *kwo-.
queue < middle english queue
< french queue (= tail) < old french cue / coe (= tail) < latin coda < cauda
(= tail).
quick < old english cwic (= alive, rapid, ready) < proto-germanic *kwikwaz {> old norse
kvikr, dutch kwik, old high german quec, german
keck} < I.E. *gwei- (= to live).
quicksilver < old english cwicseolfor (= living silver) [popular name of the metal
mercury for its liquid mobility, a translation of latin argentum vivum (= living silver)].
quiesce < latin quisco
[inf. quiescere] (= to rest) < I.E. *kweie-
(= to rest).
quiet < middle english quiet
< old french quiete (= rest, tranquility)
< latin quies [gen. quietis] (= rest, repose, peace) < I.E. *kweie-
(= to rest).
quilt < middle english quilt
(= mattress with soft lining) < anglo-french quilte / old french
cuilte / coute (= quilt, mattress)
< latin culcita (= mattress, bolster).
quinta < spanish / portuguese
quinta (= a farm and house
for a rent of one-fifth of its produce) <
latin quintus (= fifth), related
to quinque (= five) < I.E.
*penkwe-
(= five).
quintessence < middle english quintessence
(= fifth essence) [of which the heavenly bodies are composed] < middle french quinte essence < medieval latin quinta essentia < latin quinta, female of quintus (= fifth) + essentia (= being, essence)
(< esse, infinitive of sum
(= I am)).
quintet < italian quintetto, a diminutive of quinto (= fifth) < latin quintus (= fifth), related
to quinque (= five) < I.E.
*penkwe- (= five).
quip < quippy
< (?) latin quippe (= indeed, of course) < quid, neuter of quis
(= who) < I.E. *kwo- + [suffix] -pe.
quire < middle english quire
(= set of four folded pages for a
book) < anglo-french quier / old french
quaier (= sheet of paper folded
in four) < vulgar latin
*quaternus < latin quaterni (= four each) < quater (= four times)
< I.E. *kwetwer- (= four).
quit < middle english quit
< old french quiter (= clear, release,
abandon) < quite (= free, clear, entire) < medieval latin quit(t)us < latin quietus (= free) < I.E.
*kweie-
(= to rest).
quiver < middle english quiver
< anglo-french quiveir / old french
quivre / cuivre < proto-germanic *kukur (= container).
quiz < quies < (?) latin
qui es? (= who are [you]?)
[first question in oral Latin exams in old-time grammar schools]
< qui (= who?) + es (= [you] are), second person of
present tense of sum [inf. esse] (= I
am) .
quote < middle english coten
(= to mark a book with chapter numbers) < old french coter < medieval latin
quoto
[inf. quotare] (= distinguish by numbers,
number chapters) < latin
quotus (= how many?, which
in order?, what number?) < quot (= how many?) < I.E. *kwo-ti- < *kwo-.
quotidian < middle english quotidian
(= everyday, daily) < old french cotidian < latin quotidianus (= daily) < latin quotus (= how many?, which
in order, what number?) + dies (= day).
quotient < middle english quotient
< latin quotiens (= how often?, how
many times?, as often as) < quot (= how many?) < I.E. *kwo-ti- < *kwo-.
Quran < Koran < arabic qur’an (= book, reading, recitation) < qara’a (= to read).
q.v. < latin quod vide (= see this) <
quod
(= this) + vide, imperative of video
[inf. videre] (= see).
