quaternion

Definition

A group or set of four people or things.

Etymology

From Middle English quaterniǒun, from Late Latin quaterniō, from quaternī (“four each”) + -iō, from quater (“four times”). Doublet of kern. The mathematics sense was coined by Irish mathematician and astronomer William Rowan Hamilton in 1843.

Example Sentences

• "Then wer the dayes of unlevended breed, and when he had caught hym, he put him in preson, and delyvered hym to iiij. quaternions off soudiers to be kepte, entendynge after ester to brynge hym forth to the people."
• "This quaternion of revilers has traduced Origen, but not on the same grounds, one having found one cause of accusation against him, and another another; and thus each has demonstrated that what he has taken no objection to, he has fully accepted."
• "We saw above that the fourth quire consists of ten folios, two of which (folios 29 and 31) Richer added to a quaternion (folios 23 to 28, 30, 32). Most of the folios Richer added to his manuscript supplement, elaborate, or amend text that he had already composed in the codex."