Adjacent Words

U definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

U is the twenty first letter and the fifth vowel in the English Alphabet. The sound seems to be nearly that of eu, shortened and blended. This sound however is not precisely that of eu or yu, except in a few words, as in unite, union, uniform; the sound does not begin with the distinct sound of e, nor end in the distinct sound of oo, unless when prolonged. It cannot be well expressed in letters. This sound is heard in the unaffected pronunciation of annuity, numerate, brute, mute, dispute, duke, true, truth, rule, prudence, opportunity, infusion.
Some modern writers make a distinction between the sound of u, when it follows r, as in rude, truth, and its sound when it follows other letters, as in mute, duke; making the former sound equivalent to oo; rood, trooth; and the latter a diphthong equivalent to eu or yu. This is a mischievous innovation, and not authorized by any general usage either in England or the United States. The difference, very nice indeed, between the sound of u in mute, and in rude, is owing entirely to the articulation which precedes that letter. For example, when a labial precedes u, we enter on its sound with the lips closed, and in opening them to the position required for uttering u, there is almost necessarily a slight sound of e formed before we arrive at the proper sound of u. When r precedes u, the mouth is open before the sound of u is commenced. But in both cases, u is to be considered as having the same sound.
In some words, as in bull, full, pull, the sound of u is that of the Italian u, the French ou, but shortened. This is a vowel.
U has another short sound, as in tun, run, sun, turn, rub. This also is a vowel.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: (chiefly British) of or appropriate to the upper classes especially in language use n
1: a base containing nitrogen that is found in RNA (but not in DNA) and derived from pyrimidine; pairs with adenine [syn: uracil, U]
2: a heavy toxic silvery-white radioactive metallic element; occurs in many isotopes; used for nuclear fuels and nuclear weapons [syn: uranium, U, atomic number 92]
3: the 21st letter of the Roman alphabet [syn: U, u]

Merriam Webster's

I. adjective Etymology: upper class Date: 1954 characteristic of the upper classes II. abbreviation 1. unsatisfactory 2. uracil III. symbol uranium

Merriam Webster's

I. noun (plural u's or us) Usage: often capitalized, often attributive Date: before 12th century 1. a. the 21st letter of the English alphabet b. a graphic representation of this letter c. a speech counterpart of orthographic u 2. a graphic device for reproducing the letter u 3. one designated u especially as the 21st in order or class 4. [abbreviation for unsatisfactory] a. a grade rating a student's work as unsatisfactory b. one graded or rated with a U 5. something shaped like the letter U II. abbreviation 1. unit 2. unsymmetrical 3. upper

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. n. (also u) (pl. Us or U's) 1 the twenty-first letter of the alphabet. 2 a U-shaped object or curve (esp. in comb.: U-bolt). 2. adj. esp. Brit. colloq. 1 upper class. 2 supposedly characteristic of the upper class. Etymology: abbr. 3. adj. a Burmese title of respect before a man's name. Etymology: Burmese 4. abbr. (also U.) 1 Brit. universal (of films classified as suitable without restriction). 2 university. 5. symb. Chem. the element uranium.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

prefix = MU 2 ({divide}).

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Molt Molt, Moult Moult, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Molted or Moulted; p. pr. & vb. n. Molting or Moulting.] [OE. mouten, L. mutare. See Mew to molt, and cf. Mute, v. t.] [The prevalent spelling is, perhaps, moult; but as the u has not been inserted in the otherwords of this class, as, bolt, colt, dolt, etc., it is desirable to complete the analogy by the spelling molt.] To shed or cast the hair, feathers, skin, horns, or the like, as an animal or a bird. --Bacon.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

U U ([=u]), the twenty-first letter of the English alphabet, is a cursive form of the letter V, with which it was formerly used interchangeably, both letters being then used both as vowels and consonants. U and V are now, however, differentiated, U being used only as a vowel or semivowel, and V only as a consonant. The true primary vowel sound of U, in Anglo-Saxon, was the sound which it still retains in most of the languages of Europe, that of long oo, as in tool, and short oo, as in wood, answering to the French ou in tour. Etymologically U is most closely related to o, y (vowel), w, and v; as in two, duet, dyad, twice; top, tuft; sop, sup; auspice, aviary. See V, also O and Y. See Guide to Pronunciation, [sect][sect] 130-144.