What does queueing mean?
Queueing means joining or waiting in an orderly line, usually because people or tasks must be dealt with one after another. In physical situations, it describes people waiting for tickets, service, entry, or their turn. It also applies figuratively to requests, jobs, or messages that are waiting to be handled in sequence. The expression is neutral and practical, though it can sometimes suggest a delay or a long wait. Its unusual history comes from the French word queue, meaning “tail,” because a line of people resembles the tail of a larger animal. Today, queueing is central to ordinary experiences involving shops, offices, transport, and public services, as well as to the organization of computer systems and other work processes.
verbTo join or wait in a line of people or tasks awaiting service or processing. It can also mean to place an item in a list so that it will be handled in order.
- To join or wait in a line of people awaiting service, admission, or a turn.
- To place work, requests, or items in a list so they can be handled in order.
"Several passengers were queueing for tickets when the office opened."
"They were queueing outside the cinema for the late-night screening."
"All incoming requests are queueing for processing."
Queueing began with a French word for “tail”: people waiting in line form a tail behind the first person.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does queueing come from?
The word comes through French queue, “tail,” from the Latin cauda, also meaning “tail.” The French sense developed from the idea of people standing one behind another, like a tail. English later extended the word from a line of people to other ordered arrangements, such as a queue of tasks or vehicles.
Related word forms
How queueing is actually used
Queueing is the standard British spelling; queuing is also widely accepted in British and American English. The word is used for both physical lines and metaphorical lines of people, tasks, or requests.
Easily confused with queueing
Queueing means waiting or joining an orderly line, whereas cueing means giving or receiving a signal or prompting an action.