What does quarter mean?
Quarter has several familiar meanings, all connected with the idea of division or measurement. Most commonly, it means one of four equal parts: a quarter of an hour is fifteen minutes, and a quarter of the respondents preferred one option. In North America, it also names a coin worth twenty-five cents. Less commonly, a quarter can refer to a neighborhood, a share of something, or accommodation such as military quarters. As a verb, to quarter something means to divide it into four parts, while to quarter someone means to provide them with lodging. The word can also function attributively, as in "quarter share" or "quarter-hour train." Its range of uses makes it useful in both ordinary conversation and formal writing, although the intended sense depends heavily on context.
One of four equal parts of a whole; a portion, district, period of fifteen minutes, or twenty-five-cent coin, depending on context.
"The museum occupies a quarter of the building."
Constituting one of four equal parts or relating to a quarter of something.
"The project is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of next year."
To divide something into four parts, or to provide accommodation for someone.
"The chef quartered the roasted chicken before serving it."
Use "quarters" for multiple fourths, multiple fifteen-minute periods, or multiple districts or sets of accommodation. The plural is also used in the expression "in quarters."
"The journey took three quarters of an hour."
A quarter means one-fourth of something, a quarter-hour is fifteen minutes, and a quarter in your pocket is 25 cents—one word with three surprisingly different measurements.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of quarter
The word descends through Old French from Latin quartus, meaning "fourth," ultimately based on the Proto-Indo-European numeral for four. English first acquired the word in the context of measuring something as one fourth. The related English word "quart" comes from the same broad numeral tradition but developed into a liquid measure, while "quarto" and "quaternary" reflect forms associated with Latin and Italian usage.
Related word forms
How quarter is actually used
When referring to a monetary coin, the usual form is "a quarter" in North American English. In British English, "quarter" is widely used for a fifteen-minute period and for one of four equal parts, while "25p piece" is commonly used for the coin. "Quarter" can also mean a residential or institutional district, often used attributively in compounds such as "old quarters" or "military quarters."
Easily confused with quarter
A quarter is one of four equal parts, whereas a quart is a liquid measure equal to two US pints.