A quadrille is a type of old-fashioned dance for four or more couples.
quadrille in British English1
(kwɒˈdrɪl, kwə-)
noun
1.
a square dance of five or more figures for four or more couples
2.
a piece of music for such a dance, alternating between simple duple and compound duple time
verb
3. (intransitive)
to perform this dance
Word origin
C18: via French from Spanish cuadrilla, diminutive of cuadro square, from Latin quadra
quadrille in British English2
(kwɒˈdrɪl, kwə-)
noun
an old card game for four players
Word origin
C18: from French, from Spanish cuartillo, from cuarto fourth, from Latin quartus, influenced by quadrille1
quadrille in American English1
(kwəˈdrɪl; kwɑˈdrɪl)
noun
1.
a square dance of French origin, consisting of several figures, performed by four couples
2.
music for this dance
Word origin
Fr, orig., one of four groups of horsemen participating in certain exercises < Spcuadrilla, dim. < cuadro, four-sided battle square < L quadra, a square: see quadric
quadrille in American English2
(kwəˈdrɪl; kwɑˈdrɪl)
noun
a card game, popular in the 18th cent., played by four persons
Word origin
Fr, altered by assoc. with quadrille1 < Sp cuartillo, dim. < cuarto, fourth < L quartus: see quart1
quadrille in American English3
(kwəˈdrɪl; kwɑˈdrɪl)
adjective
marked with intersecting lines to form squares or rectangles
: also quaˈdrilled (kwəˈdrɪld; kwɑˈdrɪld)
Word origin
Fr quadrillé < quadrille, a square < Sp cuadrillo, a small square: see quadrille1
Examples of 'quadrille' in a sentence
quadrille
He went back in to the party and sat in a corner by himself, watching the quadrille dancing and thinking about her.