quaternary

See also: Quaternary

English

WOTD – 7 April 2006

Etymology

From the (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Latin quaternārius (“containing or consisting of four”), from quaternī (“four each”, “four at a time”) + -ārius (whence the (deprecated template usage) [etyl] English suffix -ary); compare the French quaternaire.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kwəˈtɜːnəɹi/; IPA^(key): /ˈkwɔːtən(ə)ɹi/
• IPA^(key): /ˈkwɑːtɚˌnɛəɹi/

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Adjective

quaternary (not comparable)

1. Of fourth rank or order

   the quaternary stress in a pronounced word

2. Of a mathematical expression containing e.g. x⁴
3. Relating to or in number base four
4. (organic chemistry) quaternary ammonium

Usage notes

The etymologically correct fourth ordinal from Latin (following tertiary) is quartary, but quaternary (from the distributive number instead) is common, particularly in biology.

Related terms

• quaternion

Derived terms

• bisquaternary
• quaternary ammonium

Translations

of fourth rank or order

• Catalan: quaternari m, quaternària f
• Estonian: neljas
• Finnish: kvartäärinen (fi), kvaternaarinen
• French: d’ordre quatre, quaternaire (fr) m or f
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Italian: quaternario (it)
• Malay: aras empat, kuaterner
• Portuguese: quaternário (pt)
• Russian: четвертичный (ru) (četvertičnyj)

of mathematical expressions

• Finnish: neljännen asteen
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• French: d’ordre quatre

See also

• unary, unitary (1)
  • primary (1st)
• binary (2)
  • secondary (2nd)
• ternary or trinary (3)
  • tertiary (3rd)
• quaternary (4)
  • quartary (4th)
  • tetranary (4)
• quinary (5)
• senary (6)
• septenary (7)
• octonary (8)
• novenary (9)
  • nonary (9th)
• denary (10)
• duodenary (12)
• vicenary (20)
• tricenary (30)
• sexagenary (60)
• centenary (100)

Noun

quaternary (plural quaternaries)

1. (chemistry) A quaternary compound.
2. (geology) The Quaternary period or the system of deposits laid down during it.