first quarter

American  

noun

Astronomy.

1. the instant, approximately one week after a new moon, when one half of the moon's disk is illuminated by the sun.

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first quarter British  

noun

1. one of the four principal phases of the moon, occurring between new moon and full moon, when half of the lighted surface is visible from earth Compare last quarter

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Etymology

Origin of first quarter

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

Cox Automotive forecasts a 0.1 percent dip in Toyota's auto sales in the first quarter.

From Barron's

The Bank of Japan’s tankan survey showed that sentiment among large manufacturers picked up in the first quarter of the year, hitting its highest level since December 2021.

From The Wall Street Journal

Gold settled higher Tuesday, finishing the first quarter of the year on the positive side.

From The Wall Street Journal

Alaska Air Group ALK 7.58%increase; green up pointing triangle warned that refining margins for its fuel rose fivefold since early February, and it now expects a deeper loss for the first quarter.

From The Wall Street Journal

The total value of all deals announced globally jumped roughly 29% in the first quarter from a year ago, but the number of deals is down more than 17% as smaller-deal activity slowed.

From The Wall Street Journal