: a type-metal space that is one en or more in width
quadded; quadding
: to fill out (something, such as a typeset line) with blank space
plural quads
1
2
: a ski lift that holds four people
3
: a jump (as in figure skating or skiing) that consists of at least four but less than five revolutions
Last month Leaver announced that Boitano would not try the jump for which he is best known, the quadruple toe loop, at the Olympics. Never performed successfully in competition, the quad has become the slippery grail of skating.—
Jill Smolowe
Jill Smolowe4
or less commonly quad bike
: a four-wheeled all-terrain vehicle
1
: having or composed of four items or elements : quadruple sense 1
The F/A-18 flight-control system … is characterized by quad redundancy, which means that there are essentially four levels of sensing and actuation for each control surface.—McGraw-Hill Yearbook Of Science And Technology
McGraw-Hill Yearbook Of Science And TechnologyQuad skates are roller skates that have four wheels arranged in two rows, while inline skates have them in one line.—Jenee Osterheldt
Jenee Osterheldt2
: quadraphonic
Domestic quad listening needs two additional loudspeakers over stereo, and two more amplifiers, plus the black box which allocates some of the sounds to the rear left/right, and others to the front left/right.—George Steedman
George Steedman
: quadraphonic sound
: a unit of energy equal to one quadrillion British thermal units
plural quads
informal
: the greater extensor muscle of the front of the thigh that is divided into four parts : quadriceps
—usually plural
"Usually after a heptathlon I can tell if I'm not going to do well jumping. My quads get tired."—Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Jackie Joyner-KerseeDick Williams, Seattle manager, on shortstop Spike Owen's injured quads: "I never had any quads when I played."—Sports Illustrated
Sports IllustratedExamples of quad in a Sentence
Noun (1)
the quad was the college's time-honored site for protests and celebrations
Recent Examples on the Web
Jakob Roze, Health, 31 Oct. 2025
Malinin is expected to go for a seven-quad program this season and has teased trying a quintuple jump in the future.
—Nick Zaccardi, NBC news, 29 Oct. 2025
Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 May 2025
Last season, Mizzou advanced to the Gainesville Regional final but finished that quad third to miss out on a berth to nationals.
—Henry Chappell, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2025
New Atlas, 31 Oct. 2025
Her husband Peter and daughter Felicity made the find during one of the family’s regular quad bike expeditions to clear the beach of trash.
—CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for quad
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Noun
The major muscles worked in this exercise are the quads, glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors (muscles at the front of the hip), and calves.
—Jakob Roze, Health, 31 Oct. 2025
Malinin is expected to go for a seven-quad program this season and has teased trying a quintuple jump in the future.
—Nick Zaccardi, NBC news, 29 Oct. 2025
Verb
The Fever are 2-3 on the season, a disappointing start made even worse by a Caitlin Clark quad injury that is projected to keep her out for a couple of weeks.
—Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 May 2025
Last season, Mizzou advanced to the Gainesville Regional final but finished that quad third to miss out on a berth to nationals.
—Henry Chappell, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
Elsewhere, the e-cargo is built around aluminum front and rear frame components, rolls on 20-inch wheels wearing Scwhalbe rubber, and comes to a halt courtesy of Tektro quad-piston hydraulic brakes rocking 180-mm discs.
—New Atlas, 31 Oct. 2025
Her husband Peter and daughter Felicity made the find during one of the family’s regular quad bike expeditions to clear the beach of trash.
—CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for quad
Cite this Entry
“Quad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quad. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
quad
noun
: quadriceps
—usually used in plural
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