A quotation is the exact words that someone said or wrote, repeated precisely as they originally appeared. When you write a book report and include a sentence straight from the book, you're using a quotation. When a newspaper article includes what the mayor said at yesterday's press conference, those are quotations.

Quotations appear inside quotation marks (these things: “ ”), which signal to readers that these are someone else's exact words, not yours. If your friend says, “I can't believe it snowed in April!” and you tell another friend what happened, you might say: My friend shouted, “I can't believe it snowed in April!” The quotation marks show you're reporting their precise words, not just the general idea.

The word also means the act of quoting itself. When a teacher asks for quotations from the text to support your argument, she wants you to pull out specific sentences that prove your point.

In business, a quotation (often shortened to quote) means a stated price for goods or services. A contractor might give you a quotation for fixing your roof, telling you exactly how much the work will cost before starting the job.