A quadrant is one of four equal parts into which a circle or other shape has been divided.
A symbol appears in an upper quadrant of the screen. [+ of]
quadrant in British English
(ˈkwɒdrənt)
noun
1. geometry
a.
a quarter of the circumference of a circle
b.
the area enclosed by two perpendicular radii of a circle and its circumference
c.
any of the four sections into which a plane is divided by two coordinate axes
2.
a piece of a mechanism in the form of a quarter circle, esp one used as a cam or a gear sector
3.
an instrument formerly used in astronomy and navigation for measuring the altitudes of stars, consisting of a graduated arc of 90° and a sighting mechanism attached to a movable arm
Derived forms
quadrantal (kwɒˈdræntəl)
adjective
Word origin
C14: from Latin quadrāns a quarter
quadrant in American English
(ˈkwɑdrənt)
noun
1.
a fourth part of the circumference of a circle; an arc of 90°
2.
a quarter section of a circle
3.
any piece or part shaped like a quarter section of a circle
4.
an instrument similar to the sextant in design and function, and superseded by it
5. Geometry
any of the four parts formed by rectangular coordinate axes on a plane surface
Derived forms
quadrantal (quadˈrantal) (ˈkwɑˈdræntəl)
adjective
Word origin
ME < L quadrans, fourth part < quadrare: see quadrate
Examples of 'quadrant' in a sentence
quadrant
Has he not dashed his heavenly quadrant?
Herman Melville Moby Dick (1901)
And what are those three buttons for on the bottom left quadrant of the steering wheel?