U (), the twenty-first letter of the English alphabet, is a cursive
form of the letter V, with which it was formerly used interchangeably,
both letters being then used both as vowels and consonants. U and V are
now, however, differentiated, U being used only as a vowel or
semivowel, and V only as a consonant. The true primary vowel sound of
U, in Anglo-Saxon, was the sound which it still retains in most of the
languages of Europe, that of long oo, as in tool, and short oo, as in
wood, answering to the French ou in tour. Etymologically U is most
closely related to o, y (vowel), w, and v; as in two, duet, dyad,
twice; top, tuft; sop, sup; auspice, aviary. See V, also O and Y.
See Guide to Pronunciation, §§ 130-144.
Ua*ka"ri (?), n. (Zoöl.) Same as Ouakari.
U"ber*ous (?), a. [L. uber.] Fruitful; copious; abundant; plentiful.
[Obs.] Sir T. Herbert.
U"ber*ty (?), n. [L. ubertas.] Fruitfulness; copiousness; abundance;
plenty. [Obs.] Florio.
{ U`bi*ca"tion (?), U*bi"e*ty (?), } n. [NL. ubicatio, ubietas, fr. L.
ubi where.] The quality or state of being in a place; local relation;
position or location; whereness. [R.] Glanvill.