# quarterly

/ˈkwɔɹtɝɫi/ (US) · /kwˈɔːtəli/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/quarterly
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 2. done every three months

adverb · CEFR B2

done once every three months.

For teachers: at three-month intervals; four times a year.

- We pay our electricity bill quarterly.
- The software updates are released quarterly to address security vulnerabilities and introduce new features based on user feedback.

### 3. a magazine

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

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

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

- She writes book reviews for a well-known literary quarterly.
- The university's historical quarterly has gained a reputation for publishing groundbreaking research on medieval trade routes.

### 4. heraldry

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical

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

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

- The knight's shield was quarterly, showing a lion and a rose.
- The family's quarterly coat of arms represented the union of four distinct noble lineages through strategic marriages over two centuries.

## Examples

- The company reports its profits quarterly.
- We meet quarterly to review our progress and set new goals for the next three months.
- The investment fund distributes dividends quarterly, allowing shareholders to reinvest their earnings or use the cash for regular expenses throughout the fiscal year.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.