Quadrat

From Latin quadrātum.

Full definition of quadrat

Noun

1. (sciences) An area of land, marked for studying its plants, animals, soil, natural processes, etc. While originally rectangular, modern quadrats can be rectangular, circular, irregular, etc. (e.g.: Krebs, C.J., 1999. Ecological Methodology. Addison-Welsey Educational Publishing, Inc., Menlo Park, California; Wheater, C.P., Bell, J.R., Cook, P.A., 2011. Practical Field Ecology: A Project Guide. John Wiley and Sons, Chichester, West Sussex, England.)

1683. Probably from French cadrat or Italian quadrato ("square"), originally from Latin quadrātum ("square"). So called because the basic quadrat, the em quadrat, has a square face, having the same width as the height of a line of type.

Noun

1. (metal type, obsolete) A quad; a blank metal block used to fill space in lines of type.
• 1683, Joseph Moxon, Mechanick Exercises: Or, the Doctrine of Handy-Works. Applied to the art of Printing., v 2, p 222–23:If his Title be Å¿hort, he Sets it in the middle of the Line, by Setting Quadrats on both Å¿ides: If his Title be long, he Sets the middle Line in the middle: If it make three or more Lines, he Indents the firÅ¿t with an m Quadrat, and the other with two m Quadrats.

Synonyms

• quad
• space

Derived terms

• quad