quadrille

¹

[ kwo-dril, kwuh-, kuh- ]

noun

1. a square dance for four couples, consisting of five parts or movements, each complete in itself.
2. the music for such a dance.

quadrille

²

[ kwo-dril, kwuh-, kuh- ]

noun

1. a card game played by four persons.

quadrille

³

[ kwo-dril, kwuh-, kuh- ]

adjective

1. ruled in squares, as graph paper.

quadrille

¹

/ kwə-; kwɒˈdrɪl /

noun

1. a square dance of five or more figures for four or more couples
2. a piece of music for such a dance, alternating between simple duple and compound duple time

quadrille

²

/ kwə-; kwɒˈdrɪl /

noun

1. an old card game for four players

Word History and Origins

Origin of quadrille¹

First recorded in 1770–80; from French: “group of riders in a tournament; one of the four groups of dancers in a quadrille,” from Spanish cuadrilla “company, troop,” diminutive of cuadra “square, battle square,” from Latin quadra “side of a square; quadrant”

Origin of quadrille²

First recorded in 1720–30; an extended sense of quadrille ¹( def )

Origin of quadrille³

First recorded in 1855–60; from French quadrillé, from quadrille, a kind of diamond-shaped stitch in needlework, from Spanish cuadrillo “a small square”; quadrille ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of quadrille¹

C18: via French from Spanish cuadrilla, diminutive of cuadro square, from Latin quadra

Origin of quadrille²

C18: from French, from Spanish cuartillo, from cuarto fourth, from Latin quartus, influenced by quadrille ¹

Example Sentences

On the other hand, be careful that you do not engage yourself twice for the same quadrille.

From Project Gutenberg

Then the cream came, and I found myself in the same set of a quadrille with his honour.

From Project Gutenberg

A quadrille party in the next room, Mrs. Bonfoy, Lady Ely, &c.: we are impatient.

From Project Gutenberg

She too caught the vision, and launched off in a well-remembered quadrille.

From Project Gutenberg

Seeing that a longer discussion would intensify the absurdity of his position, he yielded at last and returned to the quadrille.

From Project Gutenberg