quadrant

/ˈkwɑdrənt/
noun
  1. One of four equal parts into which a plane, area, or circle is divided.
    • The city is divided into four quadrants: northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest.
    • The garden was split into quadrants, each with a different type of flower.
    • In math class, we learned how to plot points in each quadrant of the coordinate plane.
  2. An instrument used for measuring angles, especially in astronomy or navigation.
    • He carefully adjusted the quadrant to measure the angle of the star.
    • Early sailors used a quadrant to find their latitude at sea.
    • The museum displayed a brass quadrant used by 18th-century astronomers.
  3. A quarter of a circle or of its circumference.
    • The arc of the quadrant measured exactly 90 degrees.
    • A right angle is formed by two lines that cut a circle into a quadrant.
    • She drew a quadrant on the paper to show the angle.
What does "quadrant" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean