Quote vs. Quotation — What's the Difference?

Quote and Quotation are often used interchangeably in conversation, but they carry slightly different meanings. "Quote" is more versatile, serving as both a noun and verb, and primarily pertains to the act of citing someone's words. For example, journalists often quote officials in their reports. In contrast, "Quotation" predominantly functions as a noun and indicates the exact phrasing that has been cited. It represents a set of words taken from a text or speech and repeated by someone other than the original author.

Delving deeper into "Quote," as a verb, it implies the action of repeating or referencing someone else's words, often to emphasize or support a point. A writer might quote a famous author to validate their arguments. On the other hand, "Quotation" usually describes the actual group of words that have been borrowed from another source. Thus, when presenting a series of famous sayings, one might say they are sharing several quotations.

In commerce, "Quote" can also refer to a statement of how much a service or product will likely cost, much like a price estimate. However, "Quotation" in this context would indicate the formal document that carries this price estimate. It's more official and might be provided by vendors to potential clients outlining the costs of specific goods or services.

In literary and academic settings, both terms serve important roles. "Quote" typically suggests the action of pulling specific lines or ideas from another work, often followed by a citation. "Quotation," on the other hand, often refers to the encapsulated words themselves, set apart by quotation marks or block formatting. This distinction might seem minor, but for scholars and editors, it's essential to use them accurately.