quadratic

American  

[kwo-drat-ik] / kwɒˈdræt ɪk /

adjective

1. square.

2. Algebra. involving the square and no higher power of the unknown quantity; of the second degree.

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noun

1. a quadratic polynomial or equation.

quadratic British  

/ kwɒˈdrætɪk /

noun

1. Also called: quadratic equation. an equation containing one or more terms in which the variable is raised to the power of two, but no terms in which it is raised to a higher power

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adjective

1. of or relating to the second power

quadratic Scientific  

/ kwŏ-drăt′ĭk /

1. Relating to a mathematical expression containing a term of the second degree, such as x ² + 2.

2. ◆ A quadratic equation is an equation having the general form ax ² + bx + c = 0, where a, b, and c are constants.

3. ◆ The quadratic formula is x = − b ± √(b ² − 4 ac)/2 a. It is used in algebra to calculate the roots of quadratic equations.

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Other Word Forms

• quadratically
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of quadratic

First recorded in 1650–60; quadrate + -ic

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Explanation

In math, quadratic things have something to do with squaring them — in other words, multiplying a number times itself or raising it to the second power. When you come across a math problem that includes "X squared," it's quadratic. In algebra, it's especially common to use the quadratic equation, which has this form: ax squared plus bx plus c equals 0. The word quadratic comes up in calculus and statistics, too, and it can also be used to mean "square." In fact, the Latin root quadratus also means "square."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

quadratic

Faced with quadratic equations, Richard Scott couldn’t resist the temptation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026

To evaluate whether the warming rate has changed since the 1970s, the researchers applied two statistical techniques: a quadratic trend analysis and a piecewise linear model that identifies when shifts in warming rates occur.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 9, 2026

Hence, grown-up Chris is a nomadic misfit with two talents: sharpshooting and solving quadratic equations.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 24, 2025

Our high-school nightmares are graffitied with formulas and calculus and quadratic equations, panicked pop quizzes corrected with a harsh red pen.

From Seattle Times ● May 2, 2024

“Alex just played on his BBC computer. Hugo’s smarmy as ever. Nigel’s doing quadratic equations for fun. Uncle Brian...”

From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell

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Related Words

• rectangular

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