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quarta

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word quarta

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
c. 84–c. 25 BC, Vitruvius
Ultimate origin
Latin quārtus
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin quartus
French quart
Italian quarto
Latin quarta
From the same root
Latin quartarium ← quartus
Latin quartum ← quartus
French quartier ← quart

Forms

quārta f (genitive quārtae); first declension[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin quārtus (“fourth”), the feminine used as a noun with pars (“part”) understood.[2][1][3] For the fourth hour of the day, hōra (“hour”) is understood.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Among the Classical authors VoLat cites for the sense “a fourth part”, Vitruvius is the earliest.[5][3]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Latin it meant a quarter, in Vitruvius, Seneca, Pliny and Quintilian,[5][1] and in Horace the fourth hour.[4]

Medieval Latin used it for many things counted in quarters:[6][3] a quart of grain or wine,[6][7] a fourth part of a mansus and a land measure,[6][7] a subdivision of a pagus,[6] a fourth part of the tithe or of the harvest due as rent,[6][3] and premises or a quarter of a town.[6][7][3] In law it was the fourth part of an estate: in the Kingdom of Naples the portion a husband gave his bride,[7] elsewhere the share due to younger sons.[7] A charter of 1286 calls the area around Angers its quarta.[7]

Timeline

  • c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius uses it of a fourth part.[5][3]
  • 65–8 BC – Horace uses it of the fourth hour.[4][3]
  • c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it of a quarter.[1][3]
  • 800 – First medieval record, in the capitularies.[3]
  • 1233 – Abbey statutes allow a fourth part of fat in the cooked dishes.[7]
  • 1248 – A charter requires a quarta of oats from each household.[7]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A fourth part, a quarter.[2][1][5]
  2. The fourth hour of the day.[4]
  3. (Medieval Latin) A quart, a measure of grain or wine.[6][7]
  4. (Medieval Latin) A fourth part of a mansus; a land measure.[6][7]
  5. (Medieval Latin) A subdivision of a pagus.[6]
  6. (Medieval Latin) A fourth part of the tithe; a due of a fourth of the crop.[6][3]
  7. (Medieval Latin) Premises; a quarter of a town.[6][7][3]
  8. (Medieval Latin, law) A fourth part of an estate, as a bride's portion or the share of younger sons.[7]

Usage notes

Quarta was also a Roman female praenomen.[2][5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  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 h i j k Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b c d Simpson, D. P. (1959), Cassell's New Latin Dictionary, London: Cassell
  5. ^ a b c d e VoLat: Vocabolario della Lingua Latina (2018), Milan: Hoepli
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre
Cite this entry

“Quarta.” Etymologically, 24 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/quarta. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

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