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Quarters: meaning, definitions and examples

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quarters

 

[ˈkwɔːtərz ]

Definitions

Context #1 | Noun

financial

A period of three months, especially in connection with financial transactions.

Synonyms

period, term, trimester.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
quarters

Use 'quarters' when referring to any of the four equal parts into which something is divided, particularly in business and financial contexts to describe three-month periods in a fiscal year.

  • The company's earnings are reported quarterly, so they release their financial statements every three months.
  • Housing is provided for students during the academic quarters.
trimester

'Trimester' is specifically used for dividing a year into three equal parts. It's often used in academic settings and also in pregnancy to describe the three stages of gestation.

  • The academic year is divided into three trimesters, each lasting about twelve weeks.
  • She is in her second trimester of pregnancy and feeling much better.
term

'Term' is commonly used in educational contexts to describe the divisions of the academic year. It can also be used to describe the duration of a contract or someone's time in office.

  • The fall term begins in September and ends in December.
  • He was elected for a four-year term as mayor.
period

'Period' is more general and can refer to any length of time. It's often used in educational settings, historical contexts, or to describe phases in someone's life.

  • The Renaissance was a period of great cultural and artistic change in Europe.
  • You have a free period after math class today.

Examples of usage

  • The company's revenue increased by 10% in the first quarter of the year.
  • She saved up enough money to pay for tuition in four quarters.
Context #2 | Noun

housing

Each of four equal or corresponding parts into which something is or can be divided.

Synonyms

portion, section, segment.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
quarters

Used to refer to living spaces or accommodations. It can also be used to describe specific sections of a building or ship designated for a particular group of people.

  • The soldiers returned to their quarters after the mission
  • The ship's officers have separate quarters from the crew
section

Used to refer to a distinct and specific part of something larger, like a document, area, or group. Appropriate for describing divisions in written texts, physical spaces, or groups.

  • The library has a quiet section for studying
  • This section of the report discusses our financial plan
segment

Used to refer to a clearly defined part of something that is often continuous or connected, such as time, a market, or a line.

  • The TV show aired a special segment on climate change
  • The company is targeting a new segment of the market
portion

Typically used to refer to a part of something larger, often regarding food or allocations. It's about a share or a helping of a whole.

  • She served each guest a generous portion of the cake
  • The donation was only a small portion of what the charity needed

Examples of usage

  • The house has a large living room and three smaller quarters for bedrooms.
  • The pie was divided into quarters for the family to share.
Context #3 | Noun

military

A unit of weight equal to a quarter of a hundredweight, used in the US and UK for grain, animal feed, etc.

Synonyms

25 pounds, quarter weight.

Examples of usage

  • The farmer bought two quarters of wheat for his livestock.
  • The military base stocked up on quarters of oats for the horses.

Interesting Facts

Etymology

  • The term 'quarter' originated from the Latin word 'quartus', meaning 'fourth'.
  • In the context of coinage, quarters were originally pieces cut from a whole coin, leading to the name.
  • The first U.S. quarter was minted in 1796, and it featured the image of Lady Liberty.

Currency

  • In the United States, quarters are commonly used in vending machines, parking meters, and arcade games.
  • The U.S. Mint produces various designs for quarters, especially for the 50 State Quarters program that began in 1999.
  • Quarters are also used as a method for counting change, making transactions easier.

Culture

  • In many games, like Monopoly, players often use quarters as their currency for buying properties.
  • The phrase 'two bits' refers to a quarter, dating back to a time when a dollar was divided into eight pieces.
  • Quarters are often featured in various cultural references and songs, symbolizing prosperity or saving.

Geometry

  • In math, a quarter represents one-fourth or 25% of a whole, used in fractions and percentages.
  • The concept of quarters extends beyond money— for example, in sports, games are often divided into four quarters.
  • The idea of quarters can apply to timekeeping, splitting an hour into four 15-minute segments.

Education

  • In academics, a quarter often refers to a term used in universities that lasts around 10 weeks.
  • Many schools offer courses based on quarters, making it easier for students to take varied classes throughout the year.
  • The quarter system can help students manage their time better by focusing on fewer subjects at once.

Translations

Translations of the word "quarters" in other languages:

🇵🇹 trimestres

🇮🇳 तिमाहियों

🇩🇪 Viertel

🇮🇩 kuartal

🇺🇦 чверті

🇵🇱 kwartały

🇯🇵 四半期

🇫🇷 trimestres

🇪🇸 trimestres

🇹🇷 çeyrek

🇰🇷 분기

🇸🇦 أرباع

🇨🇿 čtvrtiny

🇸🇰 štvrťroky

🇨🇳 季度

🇸🇮 četrtine

🇮🇸 fjórðungar

🇰🇿 ширек

🇬🇪 კვარტალები

🇦🇿 dörddəbir

🇲🇽 trimestres

Word Frequency Rank

At position #2,761, this word belongs to solid intermediate vocabulary. It's frequently used in both casual and formal contexts and is worth learning for better fluency.