quaternary
Pertaining to four
Quaternary describes something that comes fourth in a sequence or consists of four parts.
In chemistry, a quaternary compound contains four different elements or groups, and a quaternary carbon is bonded to four other carbon atoms.
More broadly, quaternary refers to fourth-stage or fourth-level classification: a quaternary consumer in the food chain.
The word appears in technical contexts far more than everyday speech. (Capitalized Quaternary is a geological period.)
Group of four units
- quartetEnsemble of four
- quadrupleMultiplied by four
- quaternionHypercomplex number with four components
- quadrantFourth of a circle
fourfold · quadripartite · tetrahedron · quadraphonic · quadruplet · tetralogy · quad · quadrennium
Chain becoming functional structure
- ammoniumCharged ammonia derivative
- stereochemistryStudy of molecular shape
- chiralityMirror-image non-superimposability
- isomerSame formula, different shape
substitution · organic chemistry · biochemistry · molecular · bonding · saturated · tertiary · configuration
Metallic combination
- blendCombine into mixture
- compoundCombined into one
- mixtureCombined but unbonded substances
- four-partHaving four divisions
formulation · composite · amalgam · admixture · fusion · combination · integration · metallurgy
tetrad
Group of four units
- quartetEnsemble of four
- quadrupleMultiplied by four
- quaternionHypercomplex number with four components
quadrant · fourfold · quadripartite · tetrahedron · quadraphonic · quadruplet · tetralogy · quad · quadrennium · quadriga
protein folding
Chain becoming functional structure
- ammoniumCharged ammonia derivative
- stereochemistryStudy of molecular shape
- chiralityMirror-image non-superimposability
isomer · substitution · organic chemistry · biochemistry · molecular · bonding · saturated · tertiary · configuration · synthesis
alloy
Metallic combination
four-part · formulation · composite · amalgam · admixture · fusion · combination · integration · metallurgy
- numbersone, two, four, three, 0
- rankingsrankings, first, college rankings, second, third
- foursfour elements, four directions, four corners, four suits, four horsemen
- number systemsdecimal, binary, octal, hexadecimal, Roman numerals
- ordinalsfirst, second, third, fourth, fifth
- aritiesbinary, ternary, monadic, dyadic, triadic