quadrature

/ˈkwɒd.ɹəˌtjʊə(ɹ)/

//ˈkwɒd.ɹəˌtjʊə(ɹ)// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"quadrature" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“quadrature” is uncommon English (frequency #63,165 among 2,880 “Q” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#63,165
frequency rank, English
2,880
“Q” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The process of making something square; squaring.

Key facts for quadrature
PropertyValue
Headwordquadrature
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkwɒd.ɹəˌtjʊə(ɹ)/
Letters10
Frequency rank#63,165
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “quadrature” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). quadrature lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

quadrature is uncommon English at frequency #63,165 among 2,880 “Q” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈkwɒd.ɹəˌtjʊə(ɹ)/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 7 senses are on record.

No misspelling variants are generated for quadrature in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin quadrātūra. The correct English form is quadrature, spelled Q-U-A-D-R-A-T-U-R-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    The process of making something square; squaring.
  2. 2
    The act or process of constructing a square that has the same area as a given plane figure, or of computing that area.
  3. 3
    The calculation of a definite integral by numerical means.
  4. 4
    The act or process of solving an indefinite integral by symbolic means.
  5. 5
    A situation in which the directions of two celestial bodies (or a celestial body and the Sun) form a right angle from the perspective of the observer.
  6. 6
    The condition in which the phase angle between two alternating quantities is 90°.
  7. 7
    A painting painted on a wooden panel.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin quadrātūra.

This word in other languages

quadrature(Français)Quadrieren(Deutsch)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "quadrature"?
"quadrature" is spelled Q-U-A-D-R-A-T-U-R-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkwɒd.ɹəˌtjʊə(ɹ)/.
What does "quadrature" mean?
As a noun, "quadrature" means: The process of making something square; squaring.
How do you pronounce "quadrature"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "quadrature" is /ˈkwɒd.ɹəˌtjʊə(ɹ)/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "quadrature"?
Borrowed from Latin quadrātūra. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “quadrature”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is Q-U-A-D-R-A-T-U-R-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈkwɒd.ɹəˌtjʊə(ɹ)/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list