[1] : Jargon File (4.3.1, 29 Jun 2001)

quux /kwuhks/ n. mythically, from the latin semi-deponent verb quuxo,
   quuxare, quuxandum iri; noun form variously `quux' plural `quuces',
   anglicized to `quuxes' and `quuxu' genitive plural is `quuxuum', for
   four u-letters out of seven in all, using up all the `u' letters in
   scrabble. 1. originally, a metasyntactic variable like foo and
   foobar. invented by guy steele for precisely this purpose when he was
   young and naive and not yet interacting with the real computing
   community. many people invent such words; this one seems simply to have
   been lucky enough to have spread a little. in an eloquent display of
   poetic justice, it has returned to the originator in the form of a
   nickname. 2. interj. see foo; however, denotes very little disgust,
   and is uttered mostly for the sake of the sound of it. 3. guy steele in
   his persona as `the great quux', which is somewhat infamous for light
   verse and for the `crunchly' cartoons. 4. in some circles, used as a
   punning opposite of `crux'. "ah, that's the quux of the matter" implies
   that the point is _not_ crucial compare tip of the ice-cube. 5.
   quuxy: adj. of or pertaining to a quux.


see also:
metasyntactic variable foo foobar tip of the ice-cube 

[2] : The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03)

quux
     
        /kwuhks/ mythically, from the latin semi-deponent verb quuxo,
        quuxare, quuxandum iri; noun form variously "quux" plural
        "quuces", anglicised to "quuxes" and "quuxu" genitive plural
        is "quuxuum", for four u-letters out of seven in all, using up
        all the "u" letters in scrabble.  1. originally, a
        metasyntactic variable like foo and foobar.  invented by
        guy steele for precisely this purpose when he was young and
        naive and not yet interacting with the real computing
        community.  many people invent such words; this one seems
        simply to have been lucky enough to have spread a little.  in
        an eloquent display of poetic justice, it has returned to the
        originator in the form of a nickname.
     
        2. see foo; however, denotes very little disgust, and is
        uttered mostly for the sake of the sound of it.
     
        3. guy steele in his persona as "the great quux", which is
        somewhat infamous for light verse and for the "crunchly"
        cartoons.
     
        4. in some circles, used as a punning opposite of "crux".
        "ah, that's the quux of the matter" implies that the point is
        not crucial compare tip of the ice-cube.
     
        jargon file
     
     
see also:
metasyntactic variable foo foobar guy steele tip of the ice-cube jargon file 

Quux >> Q Words
Quux, definition of term: Quux
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