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quadrant
The definition of a quadrant is a fourth or quarter portion of a circle.
(noun)An example of a quadrant is one slice of pie that's been cut into four equal pieces.
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See quadrant in Webster's New World College Dictionary
noun
- a fourth part of the circumference of a circle; an arc of 90°
- a quarter section of a circle
- any piece or part shaped like a quarter section of a circle
- an instrument similar to the sextant in design and function, and superseded by it
- Geom. any of the four parts formed by rectangular coordinate axes on a plane surface
Origin: ME < L quadrans, fourth part < quadrare: see quadrate
Related Forms:
- quadrantal adjective
See quadrant in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun
- Mathematics a. A circular arc of 90°; one fourth of the circumference of a circle.b. The plane area bounded by such an arc and two perpendicular radii.c. Any of the four areas into which a plane is divided by the reference axes in a Cartesian coordinate system, designated first, second, third, and fourth, counting counterclockwise from the area in which both coordinates are positive.
- A machine part or other mechanical device that is shaped like a quarter circle.
- An early instrument for measuring altitude of celestial bodies, consisting of a 90° graduated arc with a movable radius for measuring angles.
Origin:
Origin: Middle English, quarter of a day
Origin: , from Latin quadrāns, quadrant-, a fourth part; see kwetwer- in Indo-European roots
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