Word Study
quartern
CIDE DICTIONARY
quartern, n. [OE. quarteroun, quartron, F. quarteron, the fourth part of a pound, or of a hundred; cf. L. quartarius a fourth part, quarter of any measure, quartern, gill. See Quarter, and cf. Quarteron, Quadroon.].
- A quarter. Specifically:
(a) The fourth part of a pint; a gill.(b) The fourth part of a peck, or of a stone (14 ibs.). [1913 Webster] - A loaf of bread weighing about four pounds; -- called also
quartern loaf . Simmonds. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
quartern, n. Brit. archaic a quarter of a pint.
Idiom
quartern loaf a four-pound loaf.
Etymology
ME, = quarter f. AF quartrun, OF quart(e)ron f. QUART fourth or quartier QUARTER
ROGET THESAURUS
quartern
Quadrisection
N quadrisection, quadripartition, quartering, fourth, quart, quarter, quartern, farthing, fourthing, quadrant, quartered, quadrifid, quadripartite, rectangular.For further exploring for "quartern" in Webster Dictionary Online