Definitions for quaternary
ˈkwɒt ərˌnɛr i, kwəˈtɜr nə riqua·ter·na·ry

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:4.0 / 1 vote

1. Quaternary, Quaternary period, Age of Mannoun

   last 2 million years

2. four, 4, IV, tetrad, quatern, quaternion, quaternary, quaternity, quartet, quadruplet, foursome, Little Joeadjective

   the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one

3. quaternate, quaternaryadjective

   consisting of or especially arranged in sets of four

   "quaternate leaves"; "a quaternary compound"

4. fourth, 4th, quaternaryadjective

   coming next after the third and just before the fifth in position or time or degree or magnitude

   "the quaternary period of geologic time extends from the end of the tertiary period to the present"

WiktionaryRate this definition:3.0 / 1 vote

1. quaternaryadjective

   Of fourth rank or order.

2. quaternaryadjective

   Of a mathematical expression containing e.g. x.

3. Quaternarynoun

   The geological period of the Cenozoic Era immediately following the Tertiary. It is subdivided into the Pleistocene and the Holocene Epochs.

4. Etymology: From the quaternarius, from quaterni + -arius (whence the suffix -ary); compare the quaternaire.

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:2.0 / 1 vote

1. Quaternarynoun

   The number four.

   Etymology: quaternarius, Lat.

   The objections against the quaternary of elements and ternary of principles, needed not to be opposed so much against the doctrines themselves. Boyle.

WikipediaRate this definition:4.0 / 1 vote

1. Quaternary

   The Quaternary ( kwə-TUR-nə-ree, KWOT-ər-nerr-ee) is the current and most recent of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era in the geologic time scale of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS). It follows the Neogene Period and spans from 2.58 million years ago to the present. The Quaternary Period is divided into two epochs: the Pleistocene (2.58 million years ago to 11.7 thousand years ago) and the Holocene (11.7 thousand years ago to today, although a third epoch, the Anthropocene, has been proposed but is not yet officially recognised by the ICS).The Quaternary Period is typically defined by the cyclic growth and decay of continental ice sheets related to the Milankovitch cycles and the associated climate and environmental changes that they caused.

ChatGPTRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. quaternary

   Quaternary refers to the rank or position that comes fourth in order or sequence. In various subjects and fields, it may have specific meanings. For instance, in geology, it refers to a period of the Cenozoic Era, following the Tertiary Period and representing the time from 2.6 million years ago to present. In chemistry, it refers to a compound or an element to which four other atoms or groups are bound. Finally, in music, it refers to a four note chord or a harmony based on the interval of the fourth.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:4.0 / 1 vote

1. Quaternaryadjective

   consisting of four; by fours, or in sets of four

2. Quaternaryadjective

   later than, or subsequent to, the Tertiary; Post-tertiary; as, the Quaternary age, or Age of man

3. Quaternarynoun

   the number four

4. Quaternarynoun

   the Quaternary age, era, or formation. See the Chart of Geology

5. Etymology: [L. quaternarius consisting of four each, containing four, fr. quaterni four each, fr. quattuor four: cf. F. quaternaire. See Four.]

WikidataRate this definition:4.0 / 1 vote

1. Quaternary

   The Quaternary Period is the most recent of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era in the geologic time scale of the ICS. It follows the Neogene Period and spans from 2.588 ± 0.005 million years ago to the present. The relatively short period is characterized by a series of glaciations and by the appearance and expansion of anatomically modern humans. The Quaternary includes two geologic epochs: the Pleistocene and Holocene. A proposed but as yet informal third epoch, the Anthropocene, has also gained credence as the time in which humans began to profoundly affect and change the global environment, although its start date is still disputed.

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:4.0 / 1 vote

1. Quaternary

   kwa-tėr′nar-i, adj. consisting of four: by fours: pertaining to strata more recent than the Upper Tertiary: (math.) containing four variables.—n. a group of four things.—adjs. Quāt′ern, Quāter′nāte, composed of, or arranged in, sets of four.—n. Quāter′nion, a set or group of four: a word of four syllables: (pl.) in mathematics, a calculus of peculiar power and generality invented by Sir W. R. Hamilton of Dublin, as a geometry, primarily concerning itself with the operations by which one directed quantity or vector is changed into another.—v.t. to divide into quaternions: (Milt.) to divide into companies.—ns. Quāter′nionist, a student of quaternions; Quātern′ity, the state of being four, a group of four.—Quaternary number, ten; so called by the Pythagoreans because equal to 1 + 2 + 3 + 4.

Matched Categories

1. • Period

How to pronounce quaternary?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say quaternary in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of quaternary in Chaldean Numerology is: 1

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of quaternary in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=quaternary
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Quaternary
3. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=quaternary
4. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quaternary
5. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
6. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quaternary
7. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=quaternary
8. ^ Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
   https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=quaternary