First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
quaternion
noun qua·ter·ni·on \kwə-ˈtər-nē-ən, kwä-\
Definition of QUATERNION
1
: a set of four parts, things, or persons
2
: any of a set of numbers that comprise a four-dimensional vector space with a basis consisting of the real number 1 and three imaginary units i, j, k, that follow special rules of multiplication, and that are used especially in computer graphics, robotics, and animation to rotate objects in three dimensions
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Origin of QUATERNION
Middle English quaternyoun, from Late Latin quaternion-, quaternio, from Latin quaterni four each, from quater four times; akin to Latin quattuor four — more at four
Rhymes with QUATERNION
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