SQ
Abbreviation with 4 meanings
| Stands for | Singapore Airlines |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 4 |
| Categories | Transportation & Travel, Medical, Geography & Places, Units & Measurements |
| Also written | Sq, sq |
SQ has four meanings. The most common are Singapore Airlines (airline code) and Subcutaneous (medication route); it can also stand for Square and Square of baking chocolate.
Meanings of SQ at a glance
| # | SQ stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore Airlines | Transportation & Travel › Airline Code |
| 2 | Subcutaneous | Medical › Medication Route |
| 3 | Square | Geography & Places › Address |
| 4 | Square of baking chocolate | Units & Measurements › Cooking |
1. Singapore Airlines
Transportation & Travel · Airline Code Abbreviations
Flag carrier of Singapore, based at Changi Airport and a member of Star Alliance. It is renowned for service quality and operates the world's longest scheduled passenger flight, between Singapore and New York.
Example: SQ 24 from JFK to Singapore takes over 18 hours, so pack a good book.
ICAO code SIA; callsign "Singapore." The "Singapore Girl" in a sarong kebaya uniform has been its marketing image since 1972. Singapore Airlines was the first to fly the Airbus A380 commercially, in October 2007. It merged with its full-service subsidiary SilkAir and owns low-cost carrier Scoot.
2. Subcutaneous
Medical · Medication Route Abbreviations
Abbreviation for an injection given into the tissue under the skin, as for insulin and heparin. ISMP lists it as error-prone because "SQ" has been misread as "SL" (sublingual) or as "5 every", for example turning "SQ 2 hours before surgery" into "5 every 2 hours".
Example: Heparin 5,000 units SQ q8h was clarified to read "subcut".
ISMP recommends "subcut" or "subcutaneously" instead. SQ is still widely spoken in US hospitals ("give it sub-Q"), and the risk lies mainly in handwritten and free-text orders. Subcutaneous absorption is slower and steadier than IM, which suits drugs meant to act over hours.
3. Square (Sq)
Geography & Places · Address Abbreviations
Open public space in a city, and by extension the streets bordering it, such as Times Square, Washington Square or Trafalgar Square. Some addresses use Square as the street name itself.
Example: The tailor's shop is at 4 Louisburg Sq on Beacon Hill.
SQ is standard; sq also abbreviates square in measurements (sq ft). London squares are typically private gardens surrounded by Georgian terraces, open only to keyholders.
4. Square of baking chocolate (sq)
Units & Measurements · Cooking Abbreviations
Older American baking recipes measure chocolate in squares, the pre-scored sections of baking chocolate bars. Historically one square of American baking chocolate weighed 1 ounce, so 2 sq unsweetened chocolate means 2 oz.
Example: Melt 2 sq unsweetened chocolate with 1/3 cup butter over low heat.
Some modern bars are scored into smaller segments, so a recipe that calls for squares should be converted by weight rather than counted. Outside recipes, sq means square in the geometric sense, as in sq ft and sq in.
Related abbreviations
More airline code abbreviations
- QF – Qantas
- QR – Qatar Airways
- SA – South African Airways
- SK – SAS Scandinavian Airlines
- SV – Saudia
- SY – Sun Country Airlines
- TG – Thai Airways International
- TK – Turkish Airlines
See all 60 airline code abbreviations →
More medication route abbreviations
- PR – Per rectum (rectally)
- PV – Per vaginam (vaginally)
- SC – Subcutaneous
- SL – Sublingual
- subcut – Subcutaneous
- SubQ – Subcutaneous
- TD – Transdermal
- top – Topical
See all 41 medication route abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.