- cue (n.1)
- "stage direction," 1550s, from Q, which was used 16c., 17c. in stage plays to indicate actors' entrances, probably as an abbreviation of Latin quando "when" (see quandary) or a similar Latin adverb. Shakespeare's printed texts have it as both Q and cue.
- cue (n.2)
- "billiard stick," 1749, variant of queue (n.). Cue ball first recorded 1881.
- cue (v.)
- 1928, from cue (n.1). Related: Cued, cueing.
