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Webster 1913 Edition

U

U

(ū)
,
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 , §§ 130-144.

Webster 1828 Edition

U

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.

Definition 2024

Ú

Ú

Ú U+00DA, Ú
LATIN CAPITAL LETTER U WITH ACUTE
Composition: U [U+0055] + ́ [U+0301]
← Ù
[U+00D9] 		Latin-1 Supplement Û →
[U+00DB]

Translingual

Letter

Ú upper case (lower case ú)

  1. The letter U with an acute accent.

See also

Portuguese

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /u/
  • The syllable with this letter is always stressed.

Letter

Ú ‎(upper case, lower case ú)

  1. The letter U with an acute accent

ú

ú

ú U+00FA, ú
LATIN SMALL LETTER U WITH ACUTE
Composition: u [U+0075] + ́ [U+0301]
← ù
[U+00F9] 		Latin-1 Supplement û →
[U+00FB]

Translingual

Letter

ú lower case (upper case Ú)

  1. The letter u with an acute accent.

See also

Czech

Letter

ú ‎(lower case, upper case Ú)

  1. The thirty-fourth letter of the Czech alphabet, after u and before ů

Faroese

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ʉuː/

Letter

ú ‎(upper case Ú)

  1. The twenty-fourth letter of the Faroese alphabet, written in the Latin script.

See also

Noun

ú n

  1. name of the letter ú

Declension

n3 Singular Plural
Indefinite Definite Indefinite Definite
Nominative ú úið ú úini
Accusative ú úið ú úini
Dative úi úinum úum úunum
Genitive ús úsins úa úanna

Portuguese

Letter

ú ‎(lower case, upper case Ú)

  1. The letter u with an acute accent.
    1. This accent is added to the letter u when it is present in an antepenultimate and stressed syllable.
      • 2005, Lya Wyler (translator), J. K. Rowling (English author), Harry Potter e o Enigma do Príncipe (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince), Rocco, page 132:
        Ela não foi a única a notar.
        She was not the only one to notice.

Spanish

Conjunction

ú

  1. Obsolete spelling of u

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