queue

American  

[kyoo] / kyu /

noun

1. a braid of hair worn hanging down behind.

2. a file or line, especially of people waiting their turn.

3. Computers. a FIFO-organized sequence of items, as data, messages, jobs, or the like, waiting for action.

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verb (used with or without object)

queued, queuing

1. to form in a line while waiting (often followed byup ).

2. Computers. to arrange (data, jobs, messages, etc.) into a queue.

queue British  

/ kjuː /

noun

1. a line of people, vehicles, etc, waiting for something

   a queue at the theatre

2. computing a list in which entries are deleted from one end and inserted at the other

3. a pigtail

4. See queue-jump

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verb

1. to form or remain in a line while waiting

2. computing to arrange (a number of programs) in a predetermined order for accessing by a computer

Other Word Forms

• queuer noun

Etymology

Origin of queue

First recorded in 1585–95; from Middle French, from Latin cauda, cōda “tail”

Example Sentences

Earlier, AFP journalists saw travellers at Beijing's bustling airport forming a snaking queue to check in their luggage with the airline.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

Passionately defending cinema on the big screen and then waiting for the next suggested movie to segue into our queue.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026

At one point, travelers were being redirected across lines, instructed to bypass one queue for another, then stopped again.

From Slate • Mar. 26, 2026

Students continued to queue to receive "precautionary antibiotics" at the University of Kent on Tuesday morning.

From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026

We arrived at the bank and joined the queue with men in suits and women in skirts and blouses.

From "I Will Always Write Back" by Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda