quadrant

noun

quad·​rant ˈkwä-drənt 

1

a

: an instrument for measuring altitudes consisting commonly of a graduated arc of 90 degrees with an index or vernier and usually having a plumb line or spirit level for fixing the vertical or horizontal direction

b

: a device or mechanical part shaped like or suggestive of the quadrant of a circle

2

a

: an arc of 90 degrees that is one quarter of a circle

b

: the area bounded by a quadrant and two radii

3

a

: any of the four parts into which a plane is divided by rectangular coordinate axes lying in that plane

b

: any of the four quarters into which something is divided by two real or imaginary lines that intersect each other at right angles

quadrantal

kwä-ˈdran-tᵊl 

adjective

Illustration of quadrant

• quadrant 2

Did you know?

This word is used for a traditional instrument, used to make calculations of altitude and traditionally employed by sailors to navigate, which has a piece shaped like a quarter of a circle. A quadrant shower is a shower that fits snugly into a bathroom corner and displays a curved front, making a quadrant shape on the floor. But perhaps quadrant is used most often today to name a particular quarter of a city.

Examples of quadrant in a Sentence

Draw two intersecting lines that divide the page into four quadrants.

The town is located in the northwest quadrant of the state.

Recent Examples on the Web

There are different color variations of this palette and the four quadrants can be used as highlighter, blush, bronzer, eyeshadow, body shimmer, and brightener. —Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 4 June 2026

Only residents of the First District, in the northwest quadrant of Independence were eligible to sign the petition or distribute copies. —Ilana Arougheti june 1, Kansas City Star, 1 June 2026

The creek runs into the Chattahoochee River, which passes through the northwestern quadrant of Atlanta, and over the weekend officials discovered thousands of dead fish stretching as far as 20 miles south of the city. —Irene Wright, USA Today, 28 May 2026

The old map largely consisted of the southeast quadrant of Tarrant County, while the new map wraps around south Fort Worth to include the southwest section of the county up through the Fort Worth’s Ridglea North neighborhood. —Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin quadrant-, quadrans fourth part; akin to Latin quattuor four — more at four

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

quadrant

noun

quad·​rant ˈkwäd-rənt 

1

: an arc of 90° : one quarter of a circle

2

: any of the four quarters into which something is divided by two real or imaginary lines that intersect each other at right angles

Medical Definition

quadrant

noun

quad·​rant ˈkwäd-rənt 

1

: an arc of 90° that is one quarter of a circle

2

: any of the four more or less equivalent segments into which an anatomic structure may be divided by vertical and horizontal partitioning through its midpoint

pain in the lower right quadrant of the abdomen