cube
cube
Pronunciation
IPA Phonetic Spelling
/kjuːb/
Syllable Breakdown
First Syllable (kjuːb):
/k/: A voiceless velar stop consonant, similar to the "k" in "cat."
/juː/: A diphthong, starting with a palatal approximant and transitioning to a close back rounded vowel. This is the "u" sound in "cute."
/b/: A voiced bilabial stop consonant, similar to the "b" in "bat."
Word Form Variations
Noun:
Singular: cube
Plural: cubes
Verb:
Base Form: cube
Third-person singular present: cubes
Past tense: cubed
Past participle: cubed
Present participle: cubing
Adjective: cubic (used to describe something related to a cube)
Adverb: cubically (used to describe an action done in a manner related to a cube)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
A symmetrical three-dimensional solid object with six equal square faces, twelve equal edges, and eight vertices. It is a specific type of regular hexahedron.
Synonyms: hexahedron, die (in the context of gaming)
Antonyms: sphere, cone, cylinder (all are geometric shapes but not cubes)
A small, square-shaped piece of something, such as a food item.
Synonyms: block, dice, square, chunk
Antonyms: slice, strip, sliver
Verb
To cut something into small, square-shaped pieces.
Synonyms: dice, chop, mince, square
Antonyms: shred, slice, julienne
To raise a number to its third power (e.g., 33=3×3×3=27).
Synonyms: multiply by itself three times
Antonyms: take the cube root
Examples of Use
Books
The novel Pym by Mat Johnson features a scene where the characters encounter a mysterious, perfectly formed ice cube in the arctic.
In the children's book Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson, Harold draws a cube to serve as a block for his tower.
Newspapers
"In a major breakthrough for quantum computing, physicists at a university have developed a new method for stabilizing qubits, the building blocks of quantum computers, in a crystalline cube." ( The New York Times, October 2024)
A food critic’s review in The Guardian praised a local restaurant for its innovative appetizer: "a delicate cube of seared tuna atop a bed of wasabi foam."
Online Publications
A recent article on the tech website Wired discussed the latest generation of supercomputers, describing one as a "monolithic cube of processing power."
"The classic recipe calls for a tablespoon of butter, but for a richer flavor, I recommend adding a small cube of cream cheese to the sauce," advised a food blogger on Serious Eats.
Entertainment Mediums and Platforms
In the video game Minecraft, players can build intricate structures using various types of blocks, which are all represented as cubes.
A popular science documentary on Netflix, The Universe, used a computer-generated image of a large, glowing cube to represent a theoretical cosmic phenomenon.
During a live concert, the stage design for a musician’s performance included a massive LED cube that displayed a constantly changing array of abstract visuals.
General Public Discourse
"Could you please get me a few ice cubes for my drink?"
"We need to cut the potatoes into small cubes for the stew."
"I solved the Rubik's Cube in under a minute today."
"The art installation at the park is a giant, metallic cube with a fountain inside."
10 Famous Quotes Using Cube
"Having your book turned into a movie is like seeing your oxen turned into bouillon cubes." — John le Carré
"The Cube is an imitation of life itself—or even an improvement on life." — Ernő Rubik
"I recently took up ice sculpting. Last night I made an ice cube. This morning I made 12, I was prolific." — Mitch Hedberg
"The squares of the periodic times are to each other as the cubes of the mean distances." — Johannes Kepler
"The Cube gives me hope people can solve their problems and survive." — Ernő Rubik
"In my case, I used the elements of these simple forms—square, cube, line and color—to produce logical systems." — Sol LeWitt
"We turn the Cube and it twists us." — Ernő Rubik
"My dad was a big scotch drinker just enjoying his scotch with one ice cube or neat." — Aiden English
"The Cube is, at the same time, a symbol of simplicity and complexity." — Ernő Rubik
"I didn't give that name, the Rubik's Cube, and I called it Magic Cube because it's magic." — Ernő Rubik
Etymology
The word "cube" comes from the Old French word cube, which was adopted directly from the Latin word cubus. The Latin word, in turn, has its origins in the Greek word kýbos, which meant "a six-sided die" or "a six-sided object."
The Greeks were the first to use the term in a mathematical and geometric sense, referring to a symmetrical, six-sided solid. The word's earliest known use in English dates back to the late 14th century, where it was primarily used in geometry to describe the three-dimensional shape.
Over time, the meaning expanded beyond just the mathematical shape to include any small, block-like object, such as a "sugar cube" or "ice cube," and also as a verb meaning "to cut into cubes."
Phrases + Idioms Containing Cube
Ice cube's chance in hell: This idiom, though not using "cube" directly, is a common variant of "a snowball's chance in hell," meaning there is no chance at all.
The Rubik's Cube of [a topic]: A descriptive phrase used to indicate that a problem or situation is incredibly complex and difficult to solve, like the puzzle.
A different side of the cube: An original idiom suggesting looking at a problem from a completely new perspective, just as a cube has multiple faces.
To think outside the cube: A variation of "think outside the box," encouraging creative and unconventional thinking.
Cube steak: A culinary term for a cut of meat, usually top round or sirloin, that has been tenderized by pounding it with a tool that leaves small, square indentations.
Cube root: A mathematical term for a number that, when multiplied by itself three times, equals a given number.
Cube farm: A slang term for an office filled with cubicles.
To go to the mat for a sugar cube: An original idiom suggesting a person is willing to fight for something very small or insignificant.
A cube of silence: An original phrase to describe a small, contained, and isolated space of quiet.
Like a rolling cube: A descriptive phrase suggesting a clumsy or awkward movement, contrasting with a smooth-rolling sphere.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of cube from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
