first quarter: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Formal, Business, Financial, Academic, Astronomical
Quick answer
What does “first quarter” mean?
The initial three-month period of a year or fiscal year.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The initial three-month period of a year or fiscal year; one of the four equal divisions of a year, specifically the period from January to March or the equivalent in a fiscal calendar.
1. The phase of the moon when exactly half of its visible side is illuminated, occurring about a week after the new moon. 2. Any of the four main time segments into which a game or sports match is divided.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences, but fiscal quarter start dates can differ between companies. In sports like rugby (UK) and American football (US), 'quarter' refers to game segments but the rules and duration differ.
Connotations
In business contexts, identical connotations of performance measurement and reporting. In everyday speech, both refer primarily to the lunar phase.
Frequency
High frequency in business and finance contexts globally. Slightly higher frequency in US sports media due to American football.
Grammar
How to Use “first quarter” in a Sentence
The [NOUN] of [YEAR/PERIOD][NOUN] [VERB: ended/reported/showed]during/in the [NOUN]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “first quarter” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The first-quarter figures will be published next week.
- We observed a first-quarter moon.
American English
- First-quarter revenue was up 5% year-over-year.
- He threw a touchdown in the first-quarter.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The company exceeded its first-quarter projections despite market volatility.
Academic
The study tracked economic indicators for each first quarter from 1990 to 2020.
Everyday
Look at the sky tonight; the moon is just past its first quarter.
Technical
First quarter occurs when the Moon's ecliptic longitude is 90 degrees ahead of the Sun's.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “first quarter”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “first quarter”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “first quarter”
- Using 'first quarter' without 'the' when referring to a specific period (e.g., 'Sales grew in first quarter' vs. 'Sales grew in the first quarter'). Confusing 'first quarter' (moon phase) with 'half moon' (colloquial but less precise).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is not typically capitalized unless it is part of a proper name or title (e.g., 'Q1 First Quarter Report').
Primarily no. Its core meanings are all time-based (calendar, moon phase, game segment). It is not used for spatial division (e.g., a 'quarter' of an apple, but not the 'first quarter').
'Q1' is an abbreviation used almost exclusively in business and finance for 'first quarter'. They are synonymous in that context, but 'first quarter' is used in all other contexts (astronomy, sports).
Context is key. Surrounding words like 'earnings', 'moon', 'fiscal', or 'game' will immediately clarify the intended meaning.
The initial three-month period of a year or fiscal year.
First quarter is usually formal, business, financial, academic, astronomical in register.
First quarter: in British English it is pronounced /fɜːst ˈk(w)ɔːtə/, and in American English it is pronounced /fɜrst ˈk(w)ɔːrṭɚ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The moon is in its first quarter.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a pie cut into four pieces. 'First quarter' is the first piece you take. For the moon, imagine a line down the middle—the right half is lit first.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A RESOURCE (to be measured and divided); A CYCLE IS A CIRCLE (divided into segments).
Practice
Quiz
In an astronomical context, 'first quarter' specifically refers to: