quarter Definition
- 1one of four equal or almost equal parts of something; 25 percent of a whole
- 2a period of three months, especially in connection with bills, payments, and academic terms
- 3a unit of weight equal to a quarter of a hundredweight (28 pounds or 12.7 kilograms)
Using quarter: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "quarter" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
I ate a quarter of the pizza.
Example
The company's profits fell by a quarter last year.
Example
The school year is divided into four quarters.
Example
The bill is due at the end of the quarter.
Example
The horse weighs over a quarter of a ton.
Example
The town is located about a quarter of a mile from here.
quarter Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with quarter
Example
It's already a quarter past six. We should leave soon.
Example
It's a quarter to nine. We still have some time before the meeting starts.
quarter pounder
a type of hamburger that weighs approximately a quarter of a pound (113 grams)
Example
I'll have a quarter pounder with cheese, please.
Origins of quarter
from Middle English 'quart', from Old French 'quarte', from Latin 'quarta pars', meaning 'fourth part'
Summary: quarter in Brief
The term 'quarter' [ˈkwɔːtə(r)] refers to a fourth part of something, a period of three months, or a unit of weight. It can be used to describe fractions of a whole, as in 'I ate a quarter of the pizza,' or academic terms, as in 'The school year is divided into four quarters.' 'Quarter' also has temporal meanings, such as 'quarter past' and 'quarter to.'