quatrefoil

English

Quatrefoil with more overlap

Quatrefoil with less overlap

Quatrefoil combined with square

Alternative forms

• quadrefoil
• quarterfoil, quaterfoil (archaic)

Etymology

From Old French quatrefoil, from quatre (“four”) + foil (“leaf”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kætɹəˌfɔɪl/, /kætə(ɹ)ˌfɔɪl/

Noun

quatrefoil (plural quatrefoils)

1. (architecture) A symmetrical shape that forms the overall outline of four partially-overlapping circles of the same diameter.
   • 1988, Alan Hollinghurst, The Swimming-Pool Library, paperback edition, London: Penguin Books, →ISBN, page 142:

     It was a narrow, gravelled island we had to lie on, guarded by glazed brick chimneys and, running along the sides, a prickly little gothic fence of iron finials and terracotta quatrefoils.

2. (heraldry) A stylized flower or leaf with four lobes.

Coordinate terms

• trefoil (3)
• cinquefoil (5)
• hexafoil (6)
• sexfoil (6)
• octofoil (8)
• multifoil (several)
• polyfoil (many)

 

Related terms

• quadrifoil
• quadrifoliate
• quadrifoliolate
• quadrofoil
• quatrefoliated

 

Translations

shape

• Bulgarian: четирилистник m (četirilistnik)
• Finnish: nelilehti
• French: quatrefeuille f
• German: Vierpass m
• Hungarian: please add this translation if you can
• Italian: quattrofoglie (it) m
• Maori: pewawhā
• Russian: please add this translation if you can

Anagrams

• quaterfoil