The short answer
Quote and quotation both relate to repeating someone's exact words, but traditionally they serve different jobs in a sentence. Quote is a verb meaning to repeat someone's exact words, as in she quoted the professor in her essay. Quotation is the noun form, naming the words themselves or the act of citing them, as in the report opened with a quotation from a well-known author. In careful, formal writing, quote stays a verb and quotation stays a noun, though everyday speech increasingly blurs the two.
- Quote (verb) = to repeat someone's exact words
- Quotation (noun) = the words quoted, or a price estimate
Using "quote" as a verb
As a verb, quote means to repeat or cite someone's exact words, usually in writing. You quote a source, quote a line from a poem, or quote a friend's advice. The past tense is quoted, as in the article quoted the mayor directly. Formal style guides generally reserve quote for this verb role and avoid using it as a shortened noun, though that distinction is loosening in casual and business writing.
Quote also works in phrases like quote unquote, used informally in speech to signal irony or to flag that a word is borrowed from someone else, as in he was quote unquote busy all weekend. In writing, quoting accurately matters: changing even small words inside quotation marks without indicating the change misrepresents the original speaker. Careful writers always check a quoted passage against its source before publishing it.
Using "quotation" as a noun
Quotation is the noun that names the exact words being repeated or the act of citing them. A quotation can open an essay, appear in a speech, or sit inside quotation marks in a document. Quotation also has a second, unrelated meaning in business: a formal estimate of cost, as in the contractor sent a quotation for the repair work. Not: he sent a quote for the repair work in a strictly formal document; careful style prefers quotation there.
When "quote" as a noun is acceptable
In everyday and business English, quote is now widely accepted as a noun meaning either a cited passage or a price estimate, as in can you send me a quote for the job or that is my favorite quote from the film. Most style guides still prefer quotation in formal, academic, or edited writing. If you are writing for a publication, an application, or an academic paper, use quotation as the noun and save quote for the verb.
Financial and trade contexts also use quote and quotation for pricing, though quote is by far the more common short form in speech, as in get three quotes before choosing a contractor. Quotation survives in this sense mainly on formal documents and invoices. Matching your register, casual conversation versus a formal written estimate, will usually tell you which form sounds natural.
Remember it
Think of the -ation ending as a signal: nouns like citation, explanation, and quotation typically name a thing or result, while quote stays a short, punchy verb. If you can replace the word with "to cite," you need the verb quote; if you can replace it with "the cited passage," formal style calls for quotation, even though quote is common there too.
Frequently asked questions
Is it wrong to say "a quote" instead of "a quotation"?
Not in casual or business writing, where quote as a noun is standard. Formal and academic writing traditionally prefers quotation.
What does "quotation" mean in business?
In business, a quotation is a formal estimate of the cost of goods or services, sometimes shortened informally to quote.
Can "quote" be used as a verb in formal writing?
Yes. Quote as a verb, meaning to cite someone's exact words, is standard in all registers of English writing.
Try it with a real collection
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