ENGLISH
REFERENCE

quarterly

n. freq.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈkwɔɹtɝɫi// UK //kwˈɔːtəli// quar·ter·ly

n. once every three months. You use this to describe things that happen four times a year, like paying bills or getting a magazine.

n. occurring or appearing four times a year at three-month intervals.


SIMPLE

The company reports its profits quarterly.

CONTEXTUAL

We meet quarterly to review our progress and set new goals for the next three months.

COMPLEX

The investment fund distributes dividends quarterly, allowing shareholders to reinvest their earnings or use the cash for regular expenses throughout the fiscal year.

Etymology 1

From quarter + -ly (adjectival).

Etymology 2

From quarter + -ly (adverbial suffix).

Usage

Frequency adverb — typically placed after the main verb or at the end of the clause.

Pitfall

We quarterly meet to discuss the budgetWe meet quarterly to discuss the budgetUnlike 'often' or 'always', 'quarterly' usually sits at the end of the clause or after the verb rather than before it.

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