quadrate

1 of 2

adjective

quad·​rate ˈkwä-ˌdrāt How to pronounce quadrate (audio) -drət How to pronounce quadrate (audio)
Synonyms of quadratenext
1
: being square or approximately square
2
of a heraldic cross : expanded into a square at the junction of the arms see cross illustration
3
: of, relating to, or constituting a bony or cartilaginous element of each side of the skull to which the lower jaw is articulated in most vertebrates below mammals

quadrate

2 of 2

noun

1
: an approximately square or cubical area, space, or body
2
: a quadrate bone

Did you know?

Sharp-eyed readers may recognize the "quad" in "quadrate," suggesting the number four. "Quadrate" is in fact a relative of Latin quattuor, meaning "four," though its direct line of descent links to quadrum, meaning "square." Other descendants of "quadrum" in English include "quadrille" (a square dance for four couples), "quarrel" (a square-headed bolt or arrow), and "quarry" (a place where large amounts of stone are dug out of the ground); the latter of these can be traced back to a Latin word meaning "squared stone." "Quadrate," incidentally, can also be used in much more specific senses to describe a type of heraldic cross or a portion of the skull in some vertebrates.

Synonyms

Adjective

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Examples of quadrate in a Sentence

Adjective the four museum buildings surround a quadrate courtyard that is formally landscaped
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Its skull also showed reduced articulations between key bones and a shallow quadrate angle, both of which are associated with piscivory. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
Noun
Their early forms had a jaw joint that was made of two completely different bones–the quadrate of the skull and the articular in the lower jaw and the quadrate in the skull. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 25 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Latin quadratus, past participle of quadrare to make square, fit, from quadrum square; akin to Latin quattuor four

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of quadrate was in the 14th century

Rhymes for quadrate

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Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Quadrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quadrate. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.

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