Quadrangle
/ˈkwɒd.ræŋ.ɡəl/noun
A four-sided figure or an open square area surrounded by buildings, especially in a college or school.
Did you know?Its roots go back to Latin *quadri-* (“four”) and *angulus* (“corner/angle”), the same ancient family behind words like angle and triangle—geometry that once felt almost mystical.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kwetwer-
“four”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*angʰ-
“to bend, curve”
Latin
Latin
quadri- + angulus
“four + corner, angle”
Late Latin
Latin
quadrangulus
“four-cornered, four-angled”
Old French
Old French
quadrangle
“a four-sided figure”
Modern English
English
quadrangle
“a four-sided figure or enclosed square courtyard”