quotation

noun

quo·​ta·​tion kwō-ˈtā-shən 

 also  kō-

1

: something that is quoted

especially : a passage referred to, repeated, or adduced

2

a

: the act or process of quoting

b(1)

: the naming or publishing of current bids and offers or prices of securities or commodities

(2)

: the bids, offers, or prices so named or published

especially : the highest bid and lowest offer for a particular security in a given market at a given time

Synonyms

• citation
• quote

Examples of quotation in a Sentence

He gathered quotations from the trial transcript to prove his point.

a well-known quotation attributed to Abraham Lincoln

a book of humorous quotations

She relied heavily on quotation in her essays, which made them less original.

Recent Examples on the Web

Containing more than 100 original artifacts, the installation features quotations from the Franks, along with objects from their personal histories: furniture, friendship albums, correspondence, a Torah. —Laurel Graeber, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2025

Some of the messages in his work are explicit, writ large in huge quotations drawn from the writings of Richard Rohr, Dorothy Day, St. Therese and others. —Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 11 Jan. 2025

Dane’s thoughts in quotations: Penn State edge Abdul Carter. —Jacob Robinson, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025

Dates and quotations were unreachable, every fact revised. —Daisy Hildyard, The New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1607, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing quotation

• quotation mark

Kids Definition

quotation

noun

quo·​ta·​tion kwō-ˈtā-shən 

1

: the act or process of quoting

2

: the prices currently bid or offered for stocks, bonds, or goods

3

: something that is quoted