英语词源字典 - 在线词源网站

Quran (n.)[Quran 词源字典]: 1876, variant spelling (preferred by scholars) of Koran (q.v.), from Arabic qur'an, literally "book, reading, recitation," from qara'a "to read." Related: Quranic.[Quran etymology, Quran origin, 英语词源]
qwerty: 1929, from the first six keys on a standard typewriter keyboard, read as though text, from top left. Mechanical typewriter patented 1867; the QWERTY layout itself is said to date to 1887, dominant in U.S. from early 20c.; it is not meant to slow down typists, but to separate the letters in common digraphs (-sh-, -ck-, etc.) to reduce jamming of swing-arms in old-style machines. It actually speeds typing by requiring alternate-hand strokes, which is one reason the alternative DVORAK keyboard is not appreciably faster. Remnants of the original alphabetic typewriter keyboard remain in the second row of letter keys: FGH-JKL. The French standard was AZERTY; in Germany, QWERTZ; in Italy, QZERTY.
quaternion: "A complex number of the form w + xi + yj + zk, where w, x, y, z are real numbers and i, j, k are imaginary units that satisfy certain conditions", Mid 19th century: from late Latin quaternio(n-), from Latin quarterni (see quaternary).
quinquennium: "A specified period of five years", Early 17th century: from Latin, from quinque 'five' + annus 'year'.
questionary: "A questionnaire", Late 19th century: from French questionnaire (see questionnaire).
q.v.: "Used to direct a reader to another part of a book or article for further information", From Latin quod vide, literally 'which see'.
Quorn: "A type of protein-rich food made from an edible fungus and used as a meat substitute", 1980s: the name of a former company in the Leicestershire village of Quorndon.
Q-tip: "A small, thin stick of plastic, paper, or wood with a cotton-wool swab at each end, used in personal hygiene, first aid, etc", 1920s; earliest use found in Lancaster (Ohio) Daily Eagle. From Q, the initial letter of quality + tip.
qiblah: "The direction of the Kaaba (the sacred building at Mecca), to which Muslims turn at prayer", Mid 17th century: Arabic, 'that which is opposite'.
quincentenary: "The five-hundredth anniversary of a significant event", Late 19th century: from Latin quinque 'five' + centenary.
quatercentenary: "The four-hundredth anniversary of a significant event", Late 19th century: from Latin quater 'four times' + centenary.
quoter: "A person who quotes or uses quotations, especially habitually", Late 16th cent. From quote + -er.
quantal: "Composed of discrete units; varying in steps rather than continuously", Early 20th century: from quantum + -al.
quisle: "To act as a quisling; to betray one's country, especially by collaborating with an occupying enemy", 1940s; earliest use found in The Times. From quisl-, showing (humorous) identification of the ending of quisling as -ing.
quingenary: "= quincentenary rare", Early 20th cent.; earliest use found in The Times. From classical Latin quīngēnārius consisting of five hundred men, weighing five hundred pounds from quīngēnī five hundred each + -ārius.
quartation: "The addition of silver to a mixture of gold and silver until the proportions are about one to three, at which point it becomes possible to remove all the silver using nitric acid", Early 17th cent.; earliest use found in John Woodall (1570–1643), surgeon. From post-classical Latin quartation-, quartatio from classical Latin quartus fourth + -ātiō.
quadrilingual: "Written, printed, etc., in four languages; using or able to use four languages", Mid 19th cent. Compare post-classical Latin quadrilinguis in four languages.
quinquagenary: "A fiftieth anniversary; the celebration of such an anniversary", Late Middle English; earliest use found in The Wycliffite Bible (early version). From classical Latin quīnquāgēnārius.
quadricycle: "A four-wheeled cycle", Mid 19th cent.; earliest use found in Scientific American.
quercetin: "A yellow crystalline pigment present in plants, used as a food supplement to reduce allergic responses or boost immunity", Mid 19th century: probably from Latin quercetum 'oak grove' (from quercus 'oak') + -in¹.