

Quarterly Meaning Explained: Months, Definition, and Usage for Students
What is the Meaning of Quarterly?
Understanding quarterly meaning helps students decode schedules, payments, and business terms in school and daily life. The word “quarterly” appears in maths, business, language lessons, and more. This page explains what quarterly means, how many months it covers, common uses, translations, and simple sentence examples—ideal for Class 6–12 learners exploring English writing and comprehension.
What Quarterly meaning Means in English
Definition: Quarterly is an adverb and adjective describing something that happens every three months or four times a year. It is a formal term, often used in school timetables, business reports, and payment plans. When you see “quarterly,” think of dividing a year into four equal parts, each lasting three months.
How to Use Quarterly meaning in Sentences
- The school holds quarterly exams in April, July, October, and January.
- Our electricity bill is paid quarterly, so we pay every three months.
- Companies release quarterly financial reports to track progress four times a year.
- I set quarterly goals to improve my English writing and grammar.
Common Mistakes and Quick Fix
- Incorrect: “He gets his salary quarterly in June, July, and August.”
- Correct: “He gets his salary quarterly—in March, June, September, and December.”
- Don’t mix up quarterly (every 3 months) with annually (yearly) or biannually (every 6 months).
- Quarterly is always about a year’s four equal divisions—not every four months.
- A “quarterly fee” is NOT paid four times a month, but four times a year.
Explore more English meanings and examples
Quick Facts and Translations
Quarterly in Urdu: سه ماہی (Sih-mahi)
Quarterly in Spanish: trimestral
What does quarterly mean?
Quarterly means something happens every three months, or four times in a year. For example, quarterly exams occur once every quarter (every 3 months).
• 1 year = 4 quarters
• Quarterly payment = every 3 months
Sample Speech and Essay on “Quarterly”
150-word Sample
The term quarterly is widely used in school and businesses. It means anything that happens every three months. For example, some students have quarterly exams to check their progress four times a year. In companies, managers review their goals at quarterly meetings. The term “quarterly payment” means paying bills every three months instead of paying monthly. Quarterly divides the whole year into four parts or quarters—January to March, April to June, July to September, and October to December. So, when you see a notice about quarterly activities or charges, remember this cycle. Understanding this word helps you read English timetables, business news, and even maths topics confidently.
250-word Sample
Quarterly is a useful English term that often confuses students. Its meaning is simple: occurring every three months. A year is divided into four quarters, so “quarterly” means four times a year. In most schools, quarterly exams help teachers and students see progress after every three months. Utility bills such as water or electricity may also be paid quarterly. In business, companies publish quarterly reports, helping teams check improvement and manage tasks in small time periods. Understanding quarterly is important in maths while learning about fractions of a year. For example, one quarter equals three months, or one-fourth of twelve months. The word can be used as an adjective (“quarterly test”) or an adverb (“bills are paid quarterly”). Synonyms include “trimonthly” and “every three months”. Antonyms include “yearly” or “biannual”. Do not confuse quarterly with “quarter”—quarter is the part, while quarterly is the frequency. Mastering this word makes reading English schedules and speaking in class more accurate.
500-word Sample
The word quarterly comes from “quarter,” which means one-fourth. Quarterly as a term is essential in both academic and real-world situations. For students, it appears in school calendars—quarterly tests, report cards, or even sports updates. The quarterly meaning is “every three months,” dividing a year into four equal periods. Each quarter lasts three months, so the year’s four quarters are January to March, April to June, July to September, and October to December. This system helps everyone track time, performance, and payments.
For example, in the business world, companies publish quarterly financial reports. These allow teams to share results and compare progress regularly. Money matters like rent or fees may be “quarterly” as well, meaning they must be paid every three months. In mathematics, “quarterly” often appears in word problems such as “calculate quarterly interest” or “find the value after four quarterly increases.” In science, some projects require quarterly analysis of results to keep checks on progress.
Quarterly is an adjective or adverb depending on use. “Quarterly exams” (adjective) means the exams occur every three months. “We receive our salary quarterly” (adverb) shows how often payment is made. Synonyms of quarterly are “every three months” or “trimonthly.” Sometimes people confuse quarterly with quarter. Remember, a quarter is one part—the period itself—while quarterly shows timing or recurrence.
Common errors include thinking quarterly means every four months or only four times in general, not per year. In English, quarterly specifically relates to the four divisions of any year. Also, do not write “quarterly” bills if you mean monthly. For global understanding, know this term in other languages: तिमाही (timahi) in Hindi, سه ماہی (sih-mahi) in Urdu, trimestral in Spanish. The abbreviation for quarterly is “Qtr.”
To sum up, quarterly is a helpful word in English writing, reading, and maths. It enables you to read schedules, talk about time, and understand financial matters more confidently. Remember, when something is quarterly, it’s always every three months, four times in one year.
Related Learning Links
- Months and Quarters Table – See how quarters divide the year.
- Quarter Meaning in Business – Learn how “quarterly” is used in business English.
- English Essay on Time Periods
- Difference between Quarterly and Half-Yearly
To summarize, “quarterly meaning” refers to things that happen every three months—four times in a year. It is key for exams, bills, business schedules, and maths problems. Understanding quarterly helps students manage tasks, read school notices, and solve real-life questions confidently. Next time you see “quarterly,” you’ll know exactly what to do. Build your English skills easily with Vedantu’s expert resources.
FAQs on What Does Quarterly Mean in English?
1. Is quarterly every 3 or 4 months?
Quarterly means something happens every three months, or four times in a year.
• 1 year = 4 quarters
• Each quarter = 3 months
This term is common in business, maths, and school exams to show frequency.
2. How many times does quarterly occur in a year?
A quarterly event or payment occurs four times in a year.
• Each quarter covers a 3-month period
• Quarters are named: Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4
This pattern is used in finance, academics, and planning.
3. What is a quarterly payment?
Quarterly payment means paying a fee or dues every three months.
• Example: School fees paid every 3 months
• 4 payments are made each year
This is common for subscriptions, rent, or instalments.
4. What is the meaning of 1 quarter?
One quarter is one-fourth (¼) of a year, which equals 3 months.
• 1 year = 12 months
• Each quarter = 3 months
• Used in business, mathematics, and academics for dividing time.
5. How is quarterly different from annually and biannually?
Quarterly means four times a year, while annually is once and biannually is twice a year.
• Quarterly: every 3 months (4 times/year)
• Biannually: every 6 months (2 times/year)
• Annually: every 12 months (1 time/year)
6. What is the quarterly meaning in Hindi/Urdu?
Quarterly in Hindi means तिमाही (Timahi) and in Urdu, it is چوتھائی (Chouthai).
• Refers to something happening every 3 months
• Used in education, finance, and exams for regular events
7. What are the months in each quarterly period?
Quarterly periods divide the year into four groups of 3 months each.
• Q1: January to March
• Q2: April to June
• Q3: July to September
• Q4: October to December
8. What does quarterly mean in math?
Quarterly in math means dividing something into four equal parts, or ¼ (one-fourth).
• 1 quarter = 25% of the total
• 1 year = 4 quarters (each 3 months)
• Useful in fractions, percentages, and graphs
9. How is quarterly used in business and finance?
Quarterly in business means reporting, payments, or reviews are done every 3 months.
• Companies publish quarterly results (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4)
• Budgets and profits are tracked per quarter
• Useful for planning and measuring growth
10. What is the abbreviation for quarterly?
Quarterly is commonly abbreviated as Qtr. or Q.
• Q1 = First Quarter
• Q2 = Second Quarter
• Q3 = Third Quarter
• Q4 = Fourth Quarter

















