How to pronounce queue
Say it like KYOO. Queue is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce queue. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- KYOO
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Tip: Only the first letter is heard: it sounds like the letter Q.
Queue pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- KYOOSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "oo" in food.
American vs British pronunciation of queue
American and British speakers say queue in essentially the same way: /kju/ in the US and /kjuː/ in the UK.
British respelling: KYOO.
What does queue mean?
- a line of people or vehicles waiting for something
- (information processing) an ordered list of tasks to be performed or messages to be transmitted
- a braid of hair at the back of the head
- form a queue, form a line, stand in line“Customers lined up in front of the store”
Where does queue come from?
From Middle English queue, quew, qwew, couwe, from Anglo-Norman queue, keu and Old French cöe, cue, coe (“tail”), from Vulgar Latin cōda, from Latin cauda.
Words that rhyme with queue
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of queue.
Words that sound like queue
Questions about saying queue
How do you pronounce queue?
Say KYOO. The American pronunciation is /kju/. In British English it is /kjuː/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in queue?
Queue is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: KYOO.
Do Americans and Brits say queue the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /kju/ and the British form is /kjuː/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.
What words sound the same as queue?
Queue sounds the same as cue in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.