English Reference
adverb · noun · adjective

quarterly

adv. · n. · adj.
US /ˈkwɔɹtɝɫi/ UK /kwˈɔːtəli/ quar·ter·ly UK spelling quarterlies

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    adv.done once every three months.

    adv.at three-month intervals; four times a year.

    Simple

    We pay our electricity bill quarterly.

    In context

    The software updates are released quarterly to address security vulnerabilities and introduce new features based on user feedback.

    every quarter
  2. 02 C1 Advanced Formal

    n.a magazine or journal that is published four times a year.

    n.a periodical publication issued four times per year, often academic or literary in nature.

    Simple

    She writes book reviews for a well-known literary quarterly.

    In context

    The university's historical quarterly has gained a reputation for publishing groundbreaking research on medieval trade routes.

  3. 03 C2 Proficiency Technical

    adj.divided into four parts, like on a shield or coat of arms.

    adj.referring to a shield or coat of arms divided into four distinct sections by a horizontal and a vertical line.

    Simple

    The knight's shield was quarterly, showing a lion and a rose.

    In context

    The family's quarterly coat of arms represented the union of four distinct noble lineages through strategic marriages over two centuries.

Separately, US cosmetics giant Estee Lauder said on Wednesday it had recorded a "$38m benefit in the cost of sales" from tariff refunds in its latest quarterly results.

BBC News· 19 Aug 2026

The rate, which came in under the government’s target of 4.5% to 5%, was one of the weakest since Beijing began reporting official quarterly GDP data in the early 1990s.

The Guardian· 17 Aug 2026

Etymology 1

From quarter + -ly (adjectival).

Etymology 2

From quarter + -ly (adverbial suffix).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated