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quadrum

Etymology and origin of the Latin word quadrum

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Cicero
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*kʷetwóres)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈkʷa.drũː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈkʷaː.drum][1]

Forms

quadrum n (genitive quadrī); second declension[1]

Etymology

It is from quadrus “square”, from quattuor “four”.[1][2][3] De Vaan reconstructs quattuor as Proto-Italic *kwetwōr, from Proto-Indo-European *kʷétuōr (“four”), and follows Schrijver in explaining quadr- by voicing of /t/ before a consonant cluster in quadr-.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler gives Cicero first,[5] who speaks of bringing sentences into a square, that is, into proper form.[3][6] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

It was a square or square section, as poles hewn square in Columella.[2][3] Figuratively Cicero uses in quadrum redigere of giving sentences a well-balanced, rounded form.[3][6] It also meant a regular shape, and in New Latin a computer screen.[1]

It survives in Italian quadro and Romanian codru.[1] Italian squadra (“square”), through squadrone, gave English squadron, and Vulgar Latin *exquadrāre gave English square.[5][7]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of bringing sentences into form.[3][5]
  • 1st century AD – Columella uses it of poles hewn square.[3][5]
  • mid-13th century – English square is recorded, from Vulgar Latin *exquadrāre.[7]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A square; a square section.[2]
  2. (figurative) Proper form, symmetry.[3][6]
  3. (New Latin) A computer screen.[1]

Word family

  • quadrīnus

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  5. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Quadrum.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/quadrum. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·