Square Meaning
/skwɛə/Definition, CEFR level A1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA polygon with four straight sides of equal length and four right angles; an equilateral rectangle; a regular quadrilateral.
nounSomething characterized by a square, or nearly square, form., A cell in a grid.
Sentence Examples
St Mark's Square in Venice is always swarming with tourists in the summer.
Thousands of people were milling around in the square.
He works on a market stall in the Square.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The drawing showed a perfect ____ with four equal sides.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The town's main ____ was decorated with colorful lights and banners for the summer festival.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English square, sqware, squyre; from Old French esquarre, esquerre, (modern French équerre), from Vulgar Latin *exquadra, from Latin ex- + quadro, from quadrus (compare English quad and quadra). Doublet of squad and squadra. Displaced Old English fēowerecge (fēower nominative + ecg accusative, as in "four-edged").
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"I took refuge in the square form and exhibited a picture which consisted of nothing more than a black square on a white field."
— 1927, Kazimir Malevich, The Non-Objective World:
"There are so many uses for the square, in fact, that a new model will usually come complete with a booklet enumerating its applications."
— a. 2018, Bob Vila, “Carpenter squares”, in Bob Vila, archived from the original on 26 Jan 2008:
"The statue of Alexander the Seventh stands in the large square of the town."
— 1705, J[oseph] Addison, Remarks on Several Parts of Italy, &c. in the Years 1701, 1702, 1703, London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
"You're not in Wisconsin, Dave. The big story isn't about a cow wandering into the town square."
— 1995 October 10, NewsRadio, season 2, episode 3:
"he alone
Dealt on lieutenantry, and no practice had
In the brave squares of war"
— c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene xi]:
Explore More A1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The drawing showed a perfect ____ with four equal sides.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The town's main ____ was decorated with colorful lights and banners for the summer festival.