quad

1 of 8

noun (1)

quad

2 of 8

noun (2)

: a type-metal space that is one en or more in width

quad

3 of 8

verb

quadded; quadding

transitive verb

: to fill out (something, such as a typeset line) with blank space

quad

4 of 8

noun (3)

plural quads
1
2
: a ski lift that holds four people
3
: a jump (as in figure skating or skiing) that consists of at least four but less than five revolutions
Last month Leaver announced that Boitano would not try the jump for which he is best known, the quadruple toe loop, at the Olympics. Never performed successfully in competition, the quad has become the slippery grail of skating.Jill Smolowe
4
or less commonly quad bike : a four-wheeled all-terrain vehicle

quad

5 of 8

adjective

1
: having or composed of four items or elements : quadruple sense 1
The F/A-18 flight-control system … is characterized by quad redundancy, which means that there are essentially four levels of sensing and actuation for each control surface.McGraw-Hill Yearbook Of Science And Technology
Quad skates are roller skates that have four wheels arranged in two rows, while inline skates have them in one line.Jenee Osterheldt
2
: quadraphonic
Domestic quad listening needs two additional loudspeakers over stereo, and two more amplifiers, plus the black box which allocates some of the sounds to the rear left/right, and others to the front left/right.George Steedman

quad

6 of 8

noun (4)

: quadraphonic sound

quad

7 of 8

noun (5)

: a unit of energy equal to one quadrillion British thermal units

quad

8 of 8

noun (6)

plural quads
informal
: the greater extensor muscle of the front of the thigh that is divided into four parts : quadriceps
usually plural
"Usually after a heptathlon I can tell if I'm not going to do well jumping. My quads get tired."Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Dick Williams, Seattle manager, on shortstop Spike Owen's injured quads: "I never had any quads when I played."Sports Illustrated

Examples of quad in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Three of the quads were released from the hospital last October, but Chesley never left. Susan Young, Peoplemag, 22 Nov. 2023 Conservatives looked to a higher authority than campus administrators to block diversity initiatives that seemed to pave the way for scholars of color to mount such challenges from the podium and the quad. TIME, 23 Oct. 2023 Deion was part of the quad that led the thousands in prayer. Tyler R. Tynes, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2023 They can be loaded up with a variety of equipment, and engage your quads, glutes, and core. Cori Ritchey, Men's Health, 31 Aug. 2023 In a recent interview with Variety, executive producer Sarah Schechter discussed the unexpected quad relationship and explained why Apa and Sprouse never locked lips on screen. Kelly Martinez, Peoplemag, 24 Aug. 2023 Johnson performs two sets of Bulgarian split squats, an exercise that's great for building balance while simultaneously hitting the glutes, hamstrings, and quads. Philip Ellis, Men's Health, 7 Aug. 2023 To reach it, my group steered Ski-Doos over frozen lakes and drove through a blizzard on fat-tired quad bikes, our headlamps turning the snow into brazier sparks. Rick Jordan, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 July 2023 Two-way player Johnny Juzang had a new left quad contusion. Andy Larsen, The Salt Lake Tribune, 16 July 2023
Verb
Keep your core, butt, and quads tight, and avoid arching your back. Shauna Harrison, SELF, 28 Mar. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'quad.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

short for quadrat

Noun (5)

short for quadrillion

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1820, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

circa 1879, in the meaning defined above

Verb

circa 1888, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1896, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1881, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (4)

1971, in the meaning defined above

Noun (5)

1974, in the meaning defined above

Noun (6)

1954, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of quad was in 1820

Dictionary Entries Near quad

Cite this Entry

“Quad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quad. Accessed 1 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

quad

noun
ˈkwäd

Medical Definition

quad

noun
: quadriceps
usually used in plural

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