quar·ter
ˈkwȯ(r)-tər 
also
ˈkȯ(r)-
1
: one of four equal parts into which something is divisible : a fourth part
in the top quarter of his class
2
: any of various units of capacity or weight equal to or derived from one fourth of some larger unit
3
: any of various units of length or area equal to one fourth of some larger unit
4
: the fourth part of a measure of time: such as
a
: one of a set of four 3-month divisions of a year
business was up during the third quarter
b
: a school term of about 12 weeks
c
: quarter hour
a quarter after three
5
a
: a coin worth a quarter of a dollar
b
: the sum of 25 cents
6
a
: one limb of a quadruped with the adjacent parts
especially
: one fourth part of the carcass of a slaughtered animal including a leg
b
7
a
: the region or direction lying under any of the four divisions of the horizon
b
: one of the four parts into which the horizon is divided or the cardinal point corresponding to it
c
: a compass point or direction other than the cardinal points
d(1)
: an unspecified person or group
financial help from many quarters—
Current Biography
Current Biography
(2)
: a point, direction, or place not definitely identified
the view to the rear quarter—Consumer Reports
Consumer ReportsThe oft-repeated Roman story is written in still legible characters in every quarter [=all over] of the Old World …—Henry David Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau8
a
: a division or district of a town or city
he describes the immigrant quarter—Alfred Kazin
Alfred Kazin
b
: the inhabitants of such a quarter
9
a
: an assigned station or post
b
quarters plural
: an assembly of a ship's company for ceremony, drill, or emergency
c
10
: merciful consideration of an opponent
a team that gave no quarter during the championship game
specifically
: the clemency of not killing a defeated enemy
11
a
: a fourth part of the moon's period
b
: a half-illuminated phase of the moon that occurs a quarter period after or before a new moon
12
: the side of a horse's hoof between the toe and the heel see hoof illustration
13
a
: any of the four parts into which a heraldic field is divided
b
: a bearing or charge occupying the first fourth part of a heraldic field
14
: the stern area of a ship's side
15
: one side of the upper of a shoe or boot from heel to vamp
16
: one of the four equal periods into which the playing time of some games is divided
quartered; quartering; quarters
1
a
: to cut or divide into four equal or nearly equal parts
quarter an apple
condemned to be hanged, drawn, and quartered
b
archaic
: divide
2
: to provide with lodging or shelter
3
: to crisscross (an area) in many directions
4
a
: to arrange or bear (different coats of arms) quarterly on one escutcheon
b
: to add (a coat of arms) to others on one escutcheon
c
: to divide (a shield) into distinct sections (as by stripes)
2
: to crisscross a district
3
: to change from one quarter to another
the moon quarters
4
: to strike on a ship's quarter
the wind was quartering
: consisting of or equal to a quarter
Synonyms
Examples of quarter in a Sentence
Noun
Cut the pie into quarters.
an inch and a quarter
a quarter of a cup of sugar
He was three quarters of an hour early.
Verb
The hunters quartered the deer.
We were quartered in log cabins at the camp.
Adjective
a quarter acre of land
They live less than a quarter mile from us.
See More
Recent Examples on the WebNicholas Gordon, Fortune, 29 Nov. 2023
Why? Futures for the precious metal have shot up 8% so far this quarter, with gold now fetching comfortably more than $2,000 a troy ounce.
—Joe Wallace, WSJ, 29 Nov. 2023
The world’s largest retailer shipped one quarter of its U.S. imports from India between January and August this year, according to bill of lading figures shared with Reuters by data firm Import Yeti.
—Reuters, NBC News, 29 Nov. 2023
Some estimates expect remote work to be embraced by nearly a quarter of workers by 2025, suggesting even less office space will be needed going forward.
—Caleb Richter, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023
The three adjacent lots that comprise the property together span almost a quarter of an acre and were acquired around 2000 for about $13 million.
—Mark David, Robb Report, 29 Nov. 2023
The increase in deaths appears to have continued into 2023, with preliminary data for the first quarter showing that the death rate remained elevated.
—Zoeann Murphy, Washington Post, 28 Nov. 2023
That was particularly true in Los Angeles County, home to roughly a quarter of the state’s total population.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 28 Nov. 2023
Despite YouTube’s dominant position, WIRED’s review found that YPP doesn’t let in creators from over a quarter of the world's 100 most populous countries, most of them in Africa.
—Paresh Dave, WIRED, 28 Nov. 2023
Jonathan Miles, Field & Stream, 15 Nov. 2023
Images of the aircraft, which is being developed by Northrop Grumman, were posted to the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service website last week, showcasing the new bomber from both the front and from a quartering angle.
—Michael Lee, Fox News, 17 Sep. 2023
They can successfully be defrosted and easily quartered to use in these pies as well.
—Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 9 Sep. 2023
This process is preferred by backcountry hunters who quarter their deer in the field, slip the meat into game bags, and pack it back to camp or their trucks.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 7 Sep. 2023
The Office of Vector Surveillance and Control is quartered on the 11th floor of the city’s Public Health Laboratory, a drab bastion of bureaucracy on First Avenue in Manhattan.
—Andy Newman, New York Times, 29 Aug. 2023
That means broadside and quartering away shots only.
—Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 26 Aug. 2022
Killing a big bull at a steep quartering angle takes a very good cartridge, topped with a tough, deep-penetrating bullet.
—Joseph Von Benedikt, Field & Stream, 3 Aug. 2023
Though there are some outliers, depending on the ingredient, the method is roughly the same: Halve or quarter the fruit.
—Abra Berens, Bon Appétit, 24 July 2023
Matt Ford, The New Republic, 10 Apr. 2023
For larger fish, the 60- and 30-pound options weigh in half-ounce increments while the 15-pound will do quarter-ounce increments.
—Max Inchausti, Field & Stream, 10 Apr. 2023
The festival will celebrate its quarter century of operation by programming a selection of films that have not previously played in Udine, but which are among titles that inspired Italian interest in Asian contemporary cinema.
—Patrick Frater, Variety, 5 Apr. 2023
An annual robotics competition called the RoboCup was established more than a quarter-century ago.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 4 Apr. 2023
Every bit of dirt that comes out of that site is actually sent through a quarter-inch mesh screen.
—Alexa Gagosz, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Apr. 2023
The ambitious program caps BMOP’s quarter-century celebration with three New York premieres commissioned, premiered and recorded by BMOP: the Grawemeyer Award-winning pieces Play by Andrew Norman and A Thousand Mountains, A Million Streams by Lei Liang and In medias res by Lisa Bielawa.
—Roger Sands, Forbes, 1 Apr. 2023
With launch control engaged, the M3 Competition xDrive arrives at 60 mph in a blistering 2.8 seconds and the quarter-mile passes in 11.0 seconds at 124 mph.
—Marc Urbano, Car and Driver, 31 Mar. 2023
If banks do pull back on lending in the coming months, that could slow the economy and possibly act as the equivalent of an additional quarter-point rate hike, Powell said.
—Christopher Rugaber, ajc, 22 Mar. 2023
See More
Noun
Yum China reported below-expectations earnings for the latest quarter.
—Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 29 Nov. 2023
Why? Futures for the precious metal have shot up 8% so far this quarter, with gold now fetching comfortably more than $2,000 a troy ounce.
—Joe Wallace, WSJ, 29 Nov. 2023
The world’s largest retailer shipped one quarter of its U.S. imports from India between January and August this year, according to bill of lading figures shared with Reuters by data firm Import Yeti.
—Reuters, NBC News, 29 Nov. 2023
Some estimates expect remote work to be embraced by nearly a quarter of workers by 2025, suggesting even less office space will be needed going forward.
—Caleb Richter, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2023
The three adjacent lots that comprise the property together span almost a quarter of an acre and were acquired around 2000 for about $13 million.
—Mark David, Robb Report, 29 Nov. 2023
The increase in deaths appears to have continued into 2023, with preliminary data for the first quarter showing that the death rate remained elevated.
—Zoeann Murphy, Washington Post, 28 Nov. 2023
That was particularly true in Los Angeles County, home to roughly a quarter of the state’s total population.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 28 Nov. 2023
Despite YouTube’s dominant position, WIRED’s review found that YPP doesn’t let in creators from over a quarter of the world's 100 most populous countries, most of them in Africa.
—Paresh Dave, WIRED, 28 Nov. 2023
Verb
Ingredients 1 small head green cabbage, cored, quartered, and finely shredded
1 oz.
—Jonathan Miles, Field & Stream, 15 Nov. 2023
Images of the aircraft, which is being developed by Northrop Grumman, were posted to the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service website last week, showcasing the new bomber from both the front and from a quartering angle.
—Michael Lee, Fox News, 17 Sep. 2023
They can successfully be defrosted and easily quartered to use in these pies as well.
—Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 9 Sep. 2023
This process is preferred by backcountry hunters who quarter their deer in the field, slip the meat into game bags, and pack it back to camp or their trucks.
—Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 7 Sep. 2023
The Office of Vector Surveillance and Control is quartered on the 11th floor of the city’s Public Health Laboratory, a drab bastion of bureaucracy on First Avenue in Manhattan.
—Andy Newman, New York Times, 29 Aug. 2023
That means broadside and quartering away shots only.
—Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 26 Aug. 2022
Killing a big bull at a steep quartering angle takes a very good cartridge, topped with a tough, deep-penetrating bullet.
—Joseph Von Benedikt, Field & Stream, 3 Aug. 2023
Though there are some outliers, depending on the ingredient, the method is roughly the same: Halve or quarter the fruit.
—Abra Berens, Bon Appétit, 24 July 2023
Adjective
Last week, ProPublica published a comprehensive investigation detailing Clarence Thomas’s quarter-century friendship with Harlan Crow, a billionaire mega-donor for conservative causes and Republican candidates.
—Matt Ford, The New Republic, 10 Apr. 2023
For larger fish, the 60- and 30-pound options weigh in half-ounce increments while the 15-pound will do quarter-ounce increments.
—Max Inchausti, Field & Stream, 10 Apr. 2023
The festival will celebrate its quarter century of operation by programming a selection of films that have not previously played in Udine, but which are among titles that inspired Italian interest in Asian contemporary cinema.
—Patrick Frater, Variety, 5 Apr. 2023
An annual robotics competition called the RoboCup was established more than a quarter-century ago.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 4 Apr. 2023
Every bit of dirt that comes out of that site is actually sent through a quarter-inch mesh screen.
—Alexa Gagosz, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Apr. 2023
The ambitious program caps BMOP’s quarter-century celebration with three New York premieres commissioned, premiered and recorded by BMOP: the Grawemeyer Award-winning pieces Play by Andrew Norman and A Thousand Mountains, A Million Streams by Lei Liang and In medias res by Lisa Bielawa.
—Roger Sands, Forbes, 1 Apr. 2023
With launch control engaged, the M3 Competition xDrive arrives at 60 mph in a blistering 2.8 seconds and the quarter-mile passes in 11.0 seconds at 124 mph.
—Marc Urbano, Car and Driver, 31 Mar. 2023
If banks do pull back on lending in the coming months, that could slow the economy and possibly act as the equivalent of an additional quarter-point rate hike, Powell said.
—Christopher Rugaber, ajc, 22 Mar. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'quarter.' 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
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin quartarius, from quartus fourth
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Adjective
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of quarter was
in the 14th century
Phrases Containing quarter
Dictionary Entries Near quarter
Cite this Entry
“Quarter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quarter. Accessed 8 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
quarter
1 of 3 noun
quar·ter
ˈkwȯ(r)t-ər
1
: one of four equal parts
2
: a unit (as of weight or length) that equals one fourth of some larger unit
3
a
: any of four 3-month divisions of a year
b
: a school term of about 12 weeks
c
: a coin worth a fourth of a dollar
d
: the sum of 25 cents
e
: one fourth part of a slaughtered animal including a leg
a quarter of beef
f
: a fourth part of the moon's period
a moon in its first quarter
g
: one of the four equal parts into which the playing time of some games is divided
4
: someone or something (as a place, direction, or group) not named
complaints came from all quarters
5
a
: a particular division or district of a city
b
: an assigned station especially of a member of a crew
call to quarters
c
plural
: the place where one lives : lodging
6
: mercy sense 1a
show no quarter to the enemy
quarter
2 of 3 verb1
a
: to divide into four equal parts
b
: to separate into parts
peel and quarter an orange
2
: to provide with lodging or shelter
quarter
3 of 3 adjective
: consisting of or equal to a quarter
Etymology
Noun
Middle English quarter "a fourth part," from early French quarter (same meaning), derived from Latin quartus "a fourth"
Medical Definition
quarter
noun
quar·ter
ˈkwȯ(r)t-ər
1
: one limb of a quadruped with the adjacent parts
2
: one teat together with the part of a cow's udder that it drains
3
: the side of a horse's hoof between the toe and the heel
More from Merriam-Webster on quarter
Nglish: Translation of quarter for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of quarter for Arabic Speakers
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