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

One of the grandest occasions in golf was in 1930, when the great Bobby Jones won the British Amateur at St. Andrews and then captured the claret jug at Royal Liverpool on his way to winning the Grand Slam of that era — the impregnable quadrilateral, as it was called. —Doug Ferguson, Chicago Tribune, 16 July 2025

Her grammar consisted of triangles, the razor-blade shape, and rhombuses, sometimes in which quadrilaterals—a color-rich, playful visualization of Euclidean geometry—jostled with figuration. —Percy Zvomuya, Artforum, 1 June 2025

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