What does "quadrant" mean?
One of the four sections made by dividing an area with two perpendicular lines.
Quadrant
/ˈkwɒd.ɹənt/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: One of the four sections made by dividing an area with two perpendicular lines.
- Grammar: quadrant is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: abdomen region, abdominal region, abdominal section, adjunct.
- Useful contrasts: entire abdomen, oxtant, unpartitioned space.
- Usage evidence: Brahe invented many instruments such as the Tyconian Quadrant which were widely copied and led to the invention of improved observational equipment.
How to use "quadrant"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "quadrant" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "quadrant" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "quadrant" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "quadrant" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "quadrant" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "abdomen region" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "quadrant", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 One of the four sections made by dividing an area with two perpendicular lines.
"Kids, I swear, I'm gonna love all of you, and equally. I'll be dividing my love into seven equal sections, or "Love Quadrants". Each quadrant will be worth 15 "Love Units" represented by these small brass marbles. You may use these marbles as currency amongst yourselves. Collect 35 "Love Units", you can trade those in for a beach towel with my face on it."
- 2 A square or quadrangle. obsolete
"There is an outcourt or quadrant, whereof one side is a gallery to walk in, being in length six hundred feet."
- 3 a measuring instrument for measuring altitude of heavenly bodies wordnet
- 4 One of the four regions of the Cartesian plane bounded by the x-axis and y-axis.
- 5 the area enclosed by two perpendicular radii of a circle wordnet
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 One fourth of a circle or disc; a sector with an angle of 90°.
- 7 any of the four areas into which a plane is divided by two orthogonal coordinate axes wordnet
- 8 A measuring device with a graduated arc of 90° used in locating an altitude.
- 9 a quarter of the circumference of a circle wordnet
- 10 One of the four categories of team wins and losses, as categorized by strength of schedule.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Brahe invented many instruments such as the Tyconian Quadrant which were widely copied and led to the invention of improved observational equipment."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "quadrant"?
Common synonyms include: abdomen region, abdominal region, abdominal section, adjunct, angle measuring device, area.
How do you use "quadrant" in a sentence?
Brahe invented many instruments such as the Tyconian Quadrant which were widely copied and led to the invention of improved observational equipment.
How do you pronounce "quadrant"?
Pronounced /ˈkwɒd.ɹənt/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English quadrant, from Old French cadran, quadrant and its etymon Latin quadrāns, -antis (“fourth part of something, quarter”). Doublet of quadrans.
Etymology 2
From Middle English quadrant, quadrante, from Latin quadrātum; form influenced by Etymology 1. Doublet of quadrat and quadrate.