Edit page | Page history | Printable version

quadratic

1. Of or pertaining to a square, or to squares; resembling a quadrate, or square; square.

2. (Science: chemistry) tetragonal.

3. (Science: mathematics) Pertaining to terms of the second degree; as, a quadratic equation, in which the highest power of the unknown quantity is a square.

Origin: Cf. F. Quadratique.