quads

UK: /ˈkwɒdz/ US: (kwodz)

From the verb quad: (⇒ conjugate)

quads is: ⓘ

v 3rd person singular

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

quads  (kwodz), n.pl. [Informal.]

1. Sport, Anatomy, Informal Terms quadriceps muscles.

• by shortening

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

quad¹ /kwɑd/   n. 

1. Informal Terms quadrangle (def. 2).

See -quad-.
quad³ /kwɑd/   n. [countable] [Informal.]

1. Medicine, Informal Terms a quadruplet.

See -quad-.
-quad-, root. 

1. The root -quad- comes from Latin, where it has the meaning "four, fourth." This meaning is found in such words as: quad, quadrangle, quadrant, quadruped, quadruplet.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

quad¹  (kwod), n. [Informal.]

1. Informal Terms a quadrangle, as on a college campus.

• shortened form 1810–20

quad²  (kwod), n., v., quad•ded, quad•ding. [Print.]
n. 

1. Printing Also called quadrat. a piece of type metal of less height than the lettered types, serving to cause a blank in printed matter, used for spacing.

v.t. 
2. Printing to space out (matter) by means of quads.
• short for quadrat 1875–80

quad³  (kwod), n. [Informal.]

1. Medicine, Informal Terms a quadruplet.

• shortened form 1895–1900

quad⁴  (kwod), [Informal.]
adj. 

1. Informal Terms quadraphonic.

n. 
2. Informal Terms quadraphonic sound, or an electronic system for reproducing it:
   The recording sounded best in quad.
• by shortening

quad⁵  (kwod), adj. 

1. designating or comprising four persons or things:
   rates for quad occupancy; a quad-level house.

n. 

2. Informal Terms quadruple occupancy:
   Rates are based on quad.

• shortening of quadruple or words formed with quadri-

quad⁶  (kwod), n. [Informal.]

1. Informal Terms quadriplegic:
   a special ward for quads.

• by shortening

quad., 

1. quadrangle.
2. Mathematics quadrant.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

quad / kwɒd/ noun

1. short for quadrangle2

quad / kwɒd/ noun

1. a block of type metal used for spacing

quad / kwɒd/ noun

1. a variant spelling of quod

quad / kwɒd/ noun

1. short for quadruplet1

quad / kwɒd/ adjective , noun

1. short for quadraphonicorquadraphonics