QUARTERN

fourth, one-fourth, one-quarter, quarter, fourth part, twenty-five percent, quartern

(noun) one of four equal parts; “a quarter of a pound”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

quartern (plural quarterns)

(archaic) A quarter part; one fourth.

(archaic) A loaf of bread weighing about four pounds.

Source: Wiktionary

Quar"tern, n.Etym: [OE. quarteroun, quartron, F. quarteron, the fourth part of a pound, or of a hundred; cf. L. quartarius a fourth part, quarter of any measure, quartern, gill. See Quarter, and cf. Quarteron, Quadroon.]

1. A quarter. Specifically: (a) The fourth part of a pint; a gill. (b) The fourth part of a peck, or of a stone (14 ibs.).

2. A loaf of bread weighing about four pounds; -- called also quartern loaf. Simmonds.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition