quad

1 of 8

noun (1)

ˈkwäd 

: quadrangle

quad

2 of 8

noun (2)

: a type-metal space that is one en or more in width

quad

3 of 8

verb

quadded; quadding

transitive verb

: to fill out (something, such as a typeset line) with blank space

quad

4 of 8

noun (3)

plural quads

1

: quadruplet

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

4

or less commonly quad bike : a four-wheeled all-terrain vehicle

quad

5 of 8

adjective

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

Quad skates are roller skates that have four wheels arranged in two rows, while inline skates have them in one line.

—Jenee Osterheldt

2

: 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

quad

6 of 8

noun (4)

: quadraphonic sound

quad

7 of 8

noun (5)

: a unit of energy equal to one quadrillion British thermal units

quad

8 of 8

noun (6)

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

Dick Williams, Seattle manager, on shortstop Spike Owen's injured quads: "I never had any quads when I played."

—Sports Illustrated

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• close
• court
• courtyard
• enclosure
• inclosure
• patio
• quadrangle
• yard

Examples 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

Noun

Glick and his partners originally owned a grassy parcel on the western portion of the site known as the quad. —Joe Rubino, The Denver Post, 15 Oct. 2024

Up north near the Michigan state line, the University of Notre Dame boasts two lakes and multiple quad spaces for people to meander. —Alysa Guffey, The Indianapolis Star, 12 Sep. 2024

In 2019, a student at Saugus High opened fire in a crowded quad, killing two classmates and injuring three others before killing himself. —Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2024

Step forward about two feet with your right foot, and rest your right hand on your right quad. —Amy Marturana Winderl, SELF, 9 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

short for quadrat

Noun (5)

short for quadrillion

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1820, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

circa 1879, in the meaning defined above

Verb

circa 1888, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1896, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1881, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (4)

1971, in the meaning defined above

Noun (5)

1974, in the meaning defined above

Noun (6)

1954, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing quad

• quad bike
• quad meet

Kids Definition

quad

noun

ˈkwäd

: quadruplet

Medical Definition

quad

noun

ˈkwäd 

: quadriceps

—usually used in plural