fourth-quarter

UK: ˌfɔːθ ˈkwɔːtə | US: ˌfɔːrθ ˈkwɔːrtər

Definition

  1. adj. relating to or occurring in the last three months of a calendar year or fiscal year

  2. n. the final three-month period of a year or financial cycle

Structure
fourth <ordinal form of "four">quarter <one of four equal parts>
Etymology

The term combines "fourth," derived from Old English "fēowertha" (related to "four"), with "quarter," from Latin "quartarius" (via Old French "quartier"), meaning a fourth part. Together, they logically denote the last segment of a divided timeframe, originally applied to lunar cycles and later financial periods.

Examples

  1. The company's fourth-quarter earnings exceeded expectations.

  2. Retail sales typically surge during the fourth-quarter holiday season.

  3. We will review the project's progress in the fourth-quarter meeting.

  4. Fourth-quarter GDP growth slowed compared to previous months.

  5. The report analyzes fourth-quarter trends across global markets.