Quadrangle

Quadrangle

Noun · /ˈkwɒdræŋɡəl/ · a four-sided courtyard; also a plane figure with four angles

Definition

A quadrangle is a rectangular open space or courtyard, typically enclosed on all four sides by buildings — most famously the great quadrangles of Oxford and Cambridge colleges. In geometry, it also denotes any plane figure bounded by four straight lines. The everyday architectural sense is far more common: when someone says they met by the quad, they mean the central courtyard of a school, college, or university.

Origin

From Late Latin quadrangulum — four-angled — formed from quadri- (four) and angulus (angle or corner). The word entered English in the 15th century, initially as a geometric term, and quickly took on its architectural meaning as enclosed courtyard building became fashionable in English educational institutions. The abbreviated form quad became standard British university slang by the 18th century and remains in everyday use.