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

  1. a fourth part of the circumference of a circle; an arc of 90°
  2. a quarter section of a circle
  3. any piece or part shaped like a quarter section of a circle
  4. an instrument similar to the sextant in design and function, and superseded by it
  5. 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:

See quadrant in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
  1. 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.
  2. A machine part or other mechanical device that is shaped like a quarter circle.
  3. 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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