c

See also: C and Appendix:Variations of "c"

Translingual

Etymology 1

Modification of upper case letter C, from Etruscan 𐌂 (C), from Ancient Greek Γ (G, “Gamma”), from Phoenician 𐤂 (g, “gimmel”).

Pronunciation

• IPA:

  (file)

Letter

c (upper case C)

1. The third letter of the basic modern Latin alphabet.

Usage notes

• Not to be confused with ϲ (s) (the lunate sigma).
• In many languages, the letter c represents both a “hard” /k/ sound and a “soft” sound (/s/, /ts/, /tʃ/, or /θ/), based on the following letter.
• In a number of languages, it is used only for the /tʃ/ sound.
• In many languages, it occurs frequently in the digraph with ch.
• In some romanization systems of non-Latin scripts, it represents /tʃ/, /θ/, or /tsʰ/.

See also

• (Latin script):  Aa  Bb  Cc  Dd  Ee  Ff  Gg  Hh  Ii  Jj  Kk  Ll  Mm  Nn  Oo  Pp  Qq  Rr  Sſs  Tt  Uu  Vv  Ww  Xx  Yy  Zz
• (Variations of letter C):  Ćć  Ĉĉ  Čč  Ċċ  C̄c̄  Çç  Ḉḉ  Ȼȼ  Ƈƈ  ɕ  ᴄ  Ｃｃ
• Other scripts: г (g, “ge”), ג (g, “gimel”), ʗ
• Letters and symbols with similar shapes: Ɔ (open O), с (s, “es”)
• For more variations, see Appendix:Variations of "c".
• Appendix:Roman script
• c on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Symbol

c

1. (IPA) voiceless palatal plosive.

Etymology 2

Lower case form of upper case roman numeral C, a standardization of Ɔ and C because the latter happens to be an abbreviation of Latin centum (“hundred”), from abbreviation of ƆIC, an alternate form of >I<, from tally stick markings resembling Ж (a superimposed X and I), from the practice of designating each tenth X notch with an extra cut.

Alternative forms

• C, c, Ⅽ, LL, ll, Ↄ, ↄ, ƆIC, Ж, >I<

Numeral

c (lower case Roman numeral, upper case C)

1. cardinal number one hundred (100).

Usage notes

With a bar over the numeral, i.e., as c, it represents one hundred thousand.

Derived terms

• English: c-note

See also

• Lesser roman numeral symbol: l (“50”)
• Greater roman numeral symbol: d (“500”)
• Roman numerals

Etymology 3

From Latin celeritās (“speed”).

Symbol

c

1. (physics) The speed of light, 2.99792458 × 10⁸ m/s.

Etymology 4

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Symbol

c

1. (mathematics) The space of convergent sequences.

Gallery

• Letter styles
• 
  Capital and lowercase versions of C, in normal and italic type
• 
  Uppercase and lowercase C in Fraktur

See also

Other representations of C:

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English

Etymology 1

The k-rune ᚲ, an older version of Anglo-Saxon Futhorc letter ᚳ

Old English lower case letter c, from 7th century replacement by Latin lower case c of the Anglo-Saxon Futhorc letter ᚳ (c, “cen”).

Pronunciation

• (letter name): IPA^(key): /siː/ (usually spelled cee)

Audio (UK):

(file)

Audio (US):

(file)

• (phoneme): IPA^(key): /k/, /s/, /tʃ/, ...
• Usage notes: In English, c is usually pronounced as /k/ ("crack", "climb", "clone"), sometimes pronounced as /s/ ("cereal", "celebrity", "citron"), and rarely pronounced as /tʃ/ ("ciao", "cello", "vermicelli"). Sometimes c is pronounced as /tʃ/ due to English words that came from Italian. (Italian has a rule that states that c before i or e is pronounced as /tʃ/.[1])

Letter

c (lower case, upper case C, plural cs or c's)

1. The third letter of the English alphabet, called cee and written in the Latin script.

Number

c (lower case, upper case C)

1. The ordinal number third, derived from this letter of the English alphabet, called cee and written in the Latin script.

Derived terms

• c-hole

See also

• (Latin-script letters) letter; A a, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u, V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z

Etymology 2

Various abbreviations

Adverb

c

1. Alternative form of c.

Etymology 3

Noun

c (plural cs or c's)

1. (music) The middle tone in either one of the sets of seven white keys on a keyboard or a set of seven strings on a stringed instrument.

Etymology 4

Verb

c

1. (Internet slang, text messaging) Abbreviation of see.

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Afar

Pronunciation

• (phoneme): IPA^(key): /ħ/

Letter

c

1. The sixth letter of the Afar alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) A a, B b, T t, S s, E e, C c, K k, X x, I i, D d, Q q, R r, F f, G g, O o, L l, M m, N n, U u, W w, H h, Y y

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Azerbaijani

Pronunciation

• (phoneme) IPA^(key): /d͡ʒ/

Letter

c lower case (upper case C)

1. The third letter of the Azerbaijani alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) hərf; A a, B b, C c, Ç ç, D d, E e, Ə ə, F f, G g, Ğ ğ, H h, X x, I ı, İ i, J j, K k, Q q, L l, M m, N n, O o, Ö ö, P p, R r, S s, Ş ş, T t, U u, Ü ü, V v, Y y, Z z

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Catalan

Pronunciation

• (letter name): IPA^(key): /se/
• (phoneme): IPA^(key): /k/, /s/

Letter

c (lower case, upper case C)

1. The third letter of the Catalan alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) lletra; A a, À à, B b, C c, Ç ç, D d, E e, É é, È è, F f, G g, H h, I i, Í í, Ï ï, J j, K k, L l (L·L l·l), M m, N n, O o, Ó ó, Ò ò, P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u, Ú ú, Ü ü, V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z

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Dutch

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eː
• (letter name): IPA^(key): /seː/
• (phoneme): IPA^(key): /s/, /k/, /tʃ/

Letter

c (lower case, upper case C)

1. The third letter of the Dutch alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) letter; A a (Á á, Ä ä), B b, C c, D d, E e (É é, Ë ë), F f, G g, H h, I i (Í í, Ï ï, IJ ij), J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o (Ó ó, Ö ö), P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u (Ú ú, Ü ü), V v, W w, X x, Y y (Ý ý), Z z

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Esperanto

Pronunciation

• (letter name): IPA^(key): /tso/
• (phoneme): IPA^(key): /ts/

• Audio:

  (file)

Letter

c (lower case, upper case C)

1. The third letter of the Esperanto alphabet, called co and written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) litero; A a, B b, C c, Ĉ ĉ, D d, E e, F f, G g, Ĝ ĝ, H h, Ĥ ĥ, I i, J j, Ĵ ĵ, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, R r, S s, Ŝ ŝ, T t, U u, Ŭ ŭ, V v, Z z

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Estonian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtseː/, [ˈtseː]

Letter

c (lower case, upper case C)

1. The third letter of the Estonian alphabet, called tsee and written in the Latin script.

Usage notes

• Used only in foreign words.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) täht; A a, B b (C c), D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p (Q q), R r, S s, Š š, Z z, Ž ž, T t, U u, V v (W w), Õ õ, Ä ä, Ö ö, Ü ü (X x, Y y)

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Fijian

Pronunciation

• (phoneme) IPA^(key): /ð/

Letter

c (upper case C)

1. The third letter of the Fijian alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) A a, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u, V v, W w, Y y

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Finnish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈseː/, [ˈs̠e̞ː] (name of letter)

• Audio:

  (file)

Letter

c (lower case, upper case C)

1. The third letter of the Finnish alphabet, called see and written in the Latin script.

Usage notes

• Used only in loanwords. In more established loanwords replaced with k or s.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) kirjain; A a, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s (Š š), T t, U u, V v (W w), X x, Y y, Z z (Ž ž), Å å, Ä ä, Ö ö

Noun

c

1. (music) C (note)

Usage notes

Capitalized for the great octave or any octave below that, or in names of major keys; not capitalized for the small octave or any octave above that, or in names of minor keys.

Declension

Declension of c (type maa) singular plural nominative c c:t genitive c:n c:iden c:itten partitive c:tä c:itä accusative c c:n c:t inessive c:ssä c:issä elative c:stä c:istä illative c:hen c:ihin adessive c:llä c:illä ablative c:ltä c:iltä allative c:lle c:ille essive c:nä c:inä translative c:ksi c:iksi abessive c:ttä c:ittä instructive – c:in comitative – c:ineen

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French

Pronunciation

• (letter name) IPA^(key): /se/
• (phoneme) IPA^(key): /k/, /s/

• Audio:

  (file)

Letter

c (lower case, upper case C)

1. The third letter of the French alphabet, written in the Latin script.
   • 1837, Louis Viardot, L’Ingénieux Hidalgo Don Quichotte de la Manche‎^{fr.Wikisource}, translation of El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Chapter I:

     Avec ces propos et d’autres semblables, le pauvre gentilhomme perdait le jugement. Il passait les nuits et se donnait la torture pour les comprendre, pour les approfondir, pour leur tirer le sens des entrailles, ce qu’Aristote lui-même n’aurait pu faire, s’il fût ressuscité tout exprès pour cela.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

     With these passages and other similar ones, the poor gentleman lost his judgement. He spent his nights and tortured himself to understand them, to consider them more deeply, to take from them their deepest meaning, which Aristotle himself would not have been able to do, had he been resurrected for that very purpose.

Contraction

c

1. (text messaging, Internet slang) Informal spelling of c’est

   C nul ici sans George

   It's rubbish here without George

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Fula

Pronunciation

• (phoneme) IPA^(key): /tʃ/

Letter

c (lower case, upper case C)

1. A letter of the Fula alphabet, written in the Latin script.

Usage notes

• Common to all varieties of Fula (Fulfulde / Pulaar / Pular).

See also

• (Latin-script letters) karfeeje; ', A a, B b, Mb mb, Ɓ ɓ, C c, D d, Nd nd, Ɗ ɗ, E e, F f, G g, Ng ng, Ɠ ɠ, H h, I i, J j, Nj nj, K k, L l, M m, N n, Ŋ ŋ, Ñ ñ, Ɲ ɲ, O o, P p, R r, S s, T t, U u, W w, Y y, Ƴ ƴ

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Hungarian

Pronunciation

• (phoneme): IPA^(key): [ˈt͡s]
• (letter name): IPA^(key): [ˈt͡seː]

Letter

c (lower case, upper case C)

1. The fourth letter of the Hungarian alphabet, called cé and written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) betű; A a, Á á, B b, C c, Cs cs, D d, Dz dz, Dzs dzs, E e, É é, F f, G g, Gy gy, H h, I i, Í í, J j, K k, L l, Ly ly, M m, N n, Ny ny, O o, Ó ó, Ö ö, Ő ő, P p, R r, S s, Sz sz, T t, Ty ty, U u, Ú ú, Ü ü, Ű ű, V v, Z z, Zs zs. Only in the extended alphabet: Q q W w X x Y y. Commonly used: ch. Also defined: à ë. In surnames (selection): ä aa cz ds eé eö ew oe oó th ts ÿ.

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Ido

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ts/
• IPA^(key): /tse/

Letter

c (upper case C)

1. The third letter of the Ido alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) litero; A a, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u, V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z

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Interlingua

Pronunciation

• (letter name): IPA^(key): /tse/
• (phoneme): IPA^(key): /k/ before 'a'/'o'/'u', /ts/ before 'i'/'e'/'y'

Letter

c (lower case, upper case C)

1. The third letter of the Interlingua alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) A a, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u, V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z

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Italian

Noun

c m or f (invariable)

1. See under C

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Latvian

Etymology

Proposed in 1908 as part of the new Latvian spelling by the scientific commission headed by K. Mīlenbahs, which was accepted and began to be taught in schools in 1909. Prior to that, Latvian had been written in German Fraktur, and sporadically in Cyrillic.

Pronunciation

• (phoneme) IPA^(key): [ts]

• Audio:

  (file)

Letter

C

c (lower case, upper case C)

1. The fourth letter of the Latvian alphabet, called cē and written in the Latin script.

See also

• Letters of the Latvian alphabet:

  burti: Aa, Āā, Bb, Cc, Čč, Dd, Ee, Ēē, Ff, Gg, Ģģ, Hh, Ii, Īī, Jj, Kk, Ķķ, Ll, Ļļ, Mm, Nn, Ņņ, Oo, Pp, Rr, Ss, Šš, Tt, Uu, Ūū, Vv, Zz, Žž

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Malay

Pronunciation

• (phoneme): IPA^(key): /tʃ/

Letter

c (lower case, upper case C)

1. The third letter of the Malay alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) A a, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u, V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z

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Norwegian

Pronunciation

• (letter name): IPA^(key): /seː/
• (phoneme): IPA^(key): /k/, /s/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Homophone: se

Letter

c

1. The 3rd letter of the Norwegian alphabet.

Usage notes

• Only used in words of foreign origin, usually English. Even rare in loanwords, as this letter does not represent a sound of its own.
• Still kept in many Christian names, therefore Caroline and Karoline are both acceptable spellings.

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Portuguese

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (phoneme) IPA^(key): /k/, /s/

Letter

c (lower case, upper case C)

1. The third letter of the Portuguese alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) letra; A a (Á á, À à,  â, àã), B b, C c (Ç ç), D d, E e (É é, Ê ê), F f, G g, H h, I i (Í í), J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o (Ó ó, Ô ô, Õ õ), P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u (Ú ú), V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z

Etymology 2

From cê, short form of você (“you”).

Pronoun

c m or f (plural 6)

1. (Internet slang) Abbreviation of você.

   Synonym: vc

Etymology 3

Preposition

c

1. Abbreviation of com.

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Romanian

Pronunciation

• (letter name): IPA^(key): /tʃe/
• (phoneme): IPA^(key): /k/, /tʃ/

Letter

c (lower case, upper case C)

1. The fifth letter of the Romanian alphabet, written in the Latin script.

Usage notes

See C for pronunciation notes.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) A a, Ă ă,  â, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, Πî, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s, Ș ș, T t, Ț ț, U u, V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z

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Serbo-Croatian

Alternative forms

• (uppercase): C

Pronunciation

• (phoneme) IPA^(key): /ts/

Letter

c (Cyrillic spelling ц)

1. The 3rd letter of the Serbo-Croatian Latin alphabet (gajica), preceded by b and followed by č.

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Skolt Sami

Pronunciation

• (phoneme) IPA^(key): /t͡s/

Letter

c (upper case C)

1. The fourth letter of the Skolt Sami alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) bukva; A a,  â, B b, C c, Č č, Ʒ ʒ, Ǯ ǯ, D d, Đ đ, E e, F f, G g, Ǧ ǧ, Ǥ ǥ, H h, I i, J j, K k, Ǩ ǩ, L l, M m, N n, Ŋ ŋ, O o, Õ õ, P p, R r, S s, Š š, T t, U u, V v, Z z, Ž ž, Å å, Ä ä, ʹ

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Somali

Letter

c lower case (upper case C)

1. The twelfth letter of the Somali alphabet, called cayn and written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) ʼ, B b, T t, J j, X x, Kh kh, D d, R r, S s, Sh sh, Dh dh, C c, G g, F f, Q q, K k, L l, M m, N n, W w, H h, Y y, A a, E e, I i, O o, U u

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Spanish

Pronunciation

(phoneme)

• IPA^(key): /ɡ/ [ɡ]
• IPA^(key): (Spain) /θ/ [θ]
• IPA^(key): (Latin America) /s/ [s]

(letter name)

• IPA^(key): (Spain) /ˈθe/ [ˈθe]
• IPA^(key): (Latin America) /ˈse/ [ˈse]

• Audio (Spain):

  (file)

Letter

c (lower case, upper case C)

1. The third letter of the Spanish alphabet, written in the Latin script.

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Swedish

Pronunciation

• (letter name): IPA^(key): /seː/
• (phoneme): IPA^(key): /s/, /k/

Proper noun

c

1. Centre Party; Abbreviation of Centerpartiet.

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Turkish

Pronunciation

• (letter name): IPA^(key): /dʒɛː/
• (phoneme): IPA^(key): /dʒ/

Letter

c (lower case, upper case C)

1. The third letter of the Turkish alphabet, called ce and written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) harf; A a, B b, C c, Ç ç, D d, E e, F f, G g, Ğ ğ, H h, I ı, İ i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, Ö ö, P p, R r, S s, Ş ş, T t, U u, Ü ü, V v, Y y, Z z

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Zulu

Pronunciation

• (phoneme) IPA^(key): /ǀ/

Letter

c (lower case, upper case C)

1. The third letter of the Zulu alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

• (Latin-script letters) A a, B b, C c, D d, E e, F f, G g, H h, I i, J j, K k, L l, M m, N n, O o, P p, Q q, R r, S s, T t, U u, V v, W w, X x, Y y, Z z