Meanings
quaternary1
- not comparableOf a mathematical expression containing e.g. x⁴.
- not comparableRelating to or in number base four.
- not comparablechemistryhaving a quaternary ammonium group.
It was developed from pancuronium and differs from it only in the nature of the 2 p-atom which is tertiary as distinct from quaternary.
1992, R. S. Jones, “Muscle relaxants in canine anaesthesia 1: History and the drugs”, in Journal of Small Animal Practice, volume 33, number 8, →DOI, →ISSN, pages 371–3753 more examples
The available anticholinergics are divided into the tertiary anticholinergics, which cross the blood–brain barrier, and the quaternary anticholinergics, which do not cross the blood–brain barrier.
2013, Eric Prommer, “Anticholinergics in Palliative Medicine: An Update”, in American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine®, volume 30, number 5, →DOI, →ISSN, pages 490–498Unfortunately two of these, 47 and 49, were named anhalotine and peyotine respectively, names already assigned to the quaternary compounds 43 and 45.
1983, Jan Lundström, “Chapter 6 Simple Isoquinoline Alkaloids”, in The Alkaloids: Chemistry and Pharmacology, volume 21, Elsevier, →DOI, →ISBNSeveral quaternary d-pilocarpine derivatives have been prepared in order to investigate the influence of structural changes on the biological activity of this alkaloid.
1971, A. Ben Bassat, D. Lavie, H. Edery, G. Porath, “Quaternary pilocarpine derivatives acting as acetylcholine antagonists”, in Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, volume 14, number 11, →DOI, →ISSN, pages 1066–1069 - not comparablechemistryComposed of four elements.
plural quaternaries
- chemistryA quaternary compound.
- geographyThe Quaternary period or the system of deposits laid down during it.
Quaternary2
- geographyThe geological period of the Cenozoic Era immediately following the Tertiary. It is subdivided into the Pleistocene and the Holocene Epochs.
Meronyms: Pleistocene, Holocene, Anthropocene, assholocene
Synonyms: Age of Man
- Alternative letter-case form of quaternary.
Synonyms & antonyms
proper nounThe geological period of the Cenozoic Era immediately following the Tertiary. It is subdivided into the Pleistocene and the Holocene Epochs.
More synonyms by meaning
adjectiveconsisting of or especially arranged in sets of four
adjectivecoming next after the third and just before the fifth in position or time or degree or magnitude
nounthe cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
quaternary · adjective, noun
- Latinquaternārius“containing or consisting of four”
- Englishquaternary
Derived from Latin quaternārius (“containing or consisting of four”), from quaternī (“four each”, “four at a time”) + -ārius (whence the English suffix -ary); compare the French quaternaire.
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Quaternary · proper noun
- Middle Englishquaternary
- Latinquaternārius“consisting of four”
- EnglishQuaternary
From Latin quaternārius (“consisting of four”), from quaternī (“by fours”); in numerical sense via Middle English quaternary. Compare French quaternaire.
More words from Latin, Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian четвъртичен
- четвъртичен (četvărtičen)of fourth rank or order
Catalan quaternari, quaternària
- quaternariof fourth rank or order
- quaternàriaof fourth rank or order
- quaternarigeological period
Czech čtvrtohory, kvartér
- čtvrtohorygeological period
- kvartérgeological period
Dutch Kwartair
- Kwartairgeological period
Estonian neljas
- neljasof fourth rank or order
Finnish kvartäärinen, kvaternaarinen
- kvartäärinenof fourth rank or order
- kvaternaarinenof fourth rank or order
- neljännen asteenof mathematical expressions
- kvartäärikausigeological period
French d'ordre quatre, quaternaire
- d'ordre quatreof fourth rank or order
- quaternaireof fourth rank or order
- d'ordre quatreof mathematical expressions
- quaternairegeological period
German Quartär
- Quartärgeological period
Hungarian negyedidőszak
- negyedidőszakgeological period
Italian quaternario, quaternario
- quaternarioof fourth rank or order
- quaternariogeological period
Japanese 第四紀
- 第四紀 (daiyonki)geological period
Malay aras empat, kuaterner
- aras empatof fourth rank or order
- kuaternerof fourth rank or order
Polish czwartorzęd
- czwartorzędgeological period
Portuguese quaternário, Quaternário
- quaternárioof fourth rank or order
- Quaternáriogeological period
Russian четвертичный, Четвертичный пери́од
- четвертичный (četvertičnyj)of fourth rank or order
- Четвертичный пери́од (Četvertičnyj períod)geological period
Slovak Kvartér
- Kvartérgeological period
Spanish Cuaternario
- Cuaternariogeological period
Swedish kvartär
- kvartärgeological period
Ukrainian Антропогенова система
- Антропогенова система (Antropohenova systema)geological period
Vietnamese kỉ Đệ Tứ
- kỉ Đệ Tứgeological period
Cite this entry
quaternary. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/quaternary
“quaternary.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/quaternary. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “quaternary,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/quaternary.
Source: quaternary on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.