quadrilateral

1 of 2

noun

quad·​ri·​lat·​er·​al ˌkwä-drə-ˈla-t(ə-)rəl 

: a polygon of four sides

quadrilateral

2 of 2

adjective

: having four sides

Examples of quadrilateral in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

After the birds understood this game, the researchers started showing them sets of shapes that included squares, parallelograms, or irregular quadrilaterals. —Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR, 12 Apr. 2025

Penrose tiles are a pair of simple quadrilaterals that, with a careful set of rules, tile the plane without allowing translational symmetry. —Quanta Magazine, 23 May 2023

Adjective

There’s a lot of comedy in the unwieldy quadrilateral chest panel of Alex’s dress. —Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 6 May 2025

Under the Hood Nvidia Edify uses something called ‘quad mesh’ models where 3D objects are made up of quadrilateral or four-sided polygons. —John Werner, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Latin quadrilaterus four-sided, from quadri- + later-, latus side

First Known Use

Noun

1650, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1656, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for quadrilateral

• basolateral
• contralateral
• dorsolateral
• equilateral
• ipsilateral
• multilateral
• unilateral
• ventrolateral
• anterolateral
• posterolateral
• bilateral
• collateral

Kids Definition

quadrilateral

1 of 2 adjective

quad·​ri·​lat·​er·​al ˌkwäd-rə-ˈlat-ə-rəl 

-ˈla-trəl

: having four sides

quadrilateral

2 of 2 noun

: a polygon with four sides and four angles

Medical Definition

quadrilateral

adjective

quad·​ri·​lat·​er·​al ˌkwäd-rə-ˈlat-ə-rəl, -ˈla-trəl 

: having four sides

a quadrilateral muscle