Quadrature

Origin

From Latin quadrātūra.

Full definition of quadrature

Noun

1. the process of making something square; squaring
2. (mathematics) http://mathworld.wolfram.com/Quadrature.html
• the process of constructing a square having the same area as a given plane figure
• computing that area (or finding definite integral) symbolically or numerically
• finding indefinite integral. Solving differential equation by quadratures (reduction to quadratures) — finding solution as integrals of elementary functions (http://books.google.com.ua/books?id=PxytO6eByI8C&pg=PA80&lpg=PA80&dq=%22reduction+to+quadratures%22&source=bl&ots=MU_F6htfws&sig=2FE20iTJK0zFDd4Bo3vt7rEzW5c&hl=en&ei=j054S8jWNabInAOwkp3ECQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=20&ved=0CF4Q6AEwEw#v=onepage&q=%22reduction%20to%20quadratures%22&f=false)
3. (astronomy) a situation in which three celestial bodies form a right-angled triangle, the observer being located at the right angleWhen the Moon is in quadrature, it appears in the sky as a half-moon.
4. (physics) the condition in which the phase angle between two alternating quantities is 90°
5. (arts) A painting painted on a wooden panel

Derived terms

• quadratural