quarterly

1 of 3

adverb

quar·​ter·​ly ˈkwȯ(r)-tər-lē 

1

: in heraldic quarters or quarterings

2

: at 3-month intervals

quarterly

2 of 3

adjective

1

: computed for or payable at 3-month intervals

a quarterly premium

2

: recurring, issued, or spaced at 3-month intervals

3

: divided into heraldic quarters or compartments

quarterly

3 of 3

noun

plural quarterlies

: a periodical published four times a year

Examples of quarterly in a Sentence

Adjective

The company holds quarterly meetings.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

The interest rate is determined quarterly by the federal short-term rate plus 3% and interest compounds daily. —Medora Lee, USA Today, 12 Apr. 2026

Investors can pull their money out of a hedge fund quarterly or annually, requiring fund managers to keep cash on hand and putting them at risk of having to sell their holdings. —Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 7 Apr. 2026

Adjective

Per FactSet, of the roughly 50 companies that have released their quarterly numbers, about 86% have posted better-than-expected earnings. —Fred Imbert, CNBC, 19 Apr. 2026

Total leasing activity dropped significantly in the first quarter, with volume falling to 223,000 square feet — almost 50% less than the 2025 quarterly average of 450,000 square feet and the 10-year average of 580,000 square feet. —Noelle Harff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Apr. 2026

Noun

After the initial 120-day window, check-ins shift to quarterly and then ultimately annually. —Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 28 Feb. 2026

In the Haymarket, one of Beaverbrook’s first-floor suites, vintage Oscar Wilde posters coexist with a hardbound edition of the defunct British quarterly The Yellow Book. —Sheila Yasmin Marikar, Air Mail, 24 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Adjective

1563, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1818, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

quarterly

1 of 3 adverb

quar·​ter·​ly ˈkwȯ(r)t-ər-lē 

: four times a year

interest compounded quarterly

quarterly

2 of 3 adjective

: coming or happening every three months

quarterly premium

quarterly meeting

quarterly

3 of 3 noun

plural quarterlies

: a magazine published four times a year