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cq: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

C2/Extremely rare in general usage
UK/siː ˈkjuː/US/siː ˈkjuː/

Technical/Editorial/Specialist

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Quick answer

What does “cq” mean?

An editorial or broadcasting abbreviation for 'correct' or 'corrected'.

Audio

Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

An editorial or broadcasting abbreviation for 'correct' or 'corrected'; in amateur radio, a general call to any station.

Primarily used in publishing to indicate a correction to typeset text, and in radio communications as a standard international call meaning 'I wish to contact any amateur radio station.'

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant differences. The radio usage (CQ) is standardized internationally. The editorial 'cq' may be more common in US publishing, but the term is niche in both regions.

Connotations

Technical, specialist, procedural. No cultural or regional connotations.

Frequency

Extremely low frequency in all general corpora. Its use is confined to specific professional or hobbyist circles.

Grammar

How to Use “cq” in a Sentence

[Station] calls CQ [on frequency].[Editor] inserts 'cq' next to [error].

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
send cqcall cqcq correctionmarked cq
medium
cq on pagecq in proofcq from the editor
weak
radio cqcq transmission

Examples

Examples of “cq” in a Sentence

adjective

British English

  • The cq mark was overlooked in the final proof.

American English

  • A cq note in the margin indicated a spelling error.

Usage

Meaning in Context

Business

Virtually never used.

Academic

Rare, may appear in publishing or communications studies.

Everyday

Not used.

Technical

Used in publishing proofreading and amateur radio communications.

Vocabulary

Synonyms of “cq”

Strong

erratageneral call

Vocabulary

Antonyms of “cq”

uncorrectedas isspecific call

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “cq”

  • Pronouncing it as a single syllable /kw/.
  • Using it in general writing.
  • Confusing editorial 'cq' with the radio 'CQ' (often capitalized).

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

It is a standard abbreviation in specific technical fields (publishing, radio) but is not considered a general vocabulary word.

It is a procedural signal meaning 'I wish to contact any amateur radio station.' Its origin is disputed but is not an abbreviation.

It is pronounced by saying the names of the letters: 'see-kyoo'.

No, it is inappropriate for general use. Use 'correction' or 'corrected' instead.

An editorial or broadcasting abbreviation for 'correct' or 'corrected'.

Cq is usually technical/editorial/specialist in register.

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

  • “None”

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think: 'C' for 'Call' or 'Correct', 'Q' for 'Question' or 'Query' – it's a signal to query all stations or a note to query/correct text.

Conceptual Metaphor

A PROTOCOL IS A SIGNAL; A CORRECTION IS A MARK.

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
In the margin of the manuscript, the editor placed the abbreviation to flag the error for correction.
Multiple Choice

In which context would you most likely encounter the term 'cq'?

cq: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples | Lingvocore