quadrimestre

A quadrimestre is a four-month interval used as a unit of time in calendars, education, and planning. The term combines the prefix for four with the word for month, reflecting its duration. It is used primarily in Romance-language contexts, including Portuguese and Italian, to divide a year or academic year into two equal parts.

In educational settings, a quadrimestre typically represents a division of the academic year into two four-month periods, each often followed by assessments or grading. The exact months of a quadrimestre vary by institution, but common configurations place the first quadrimestre in the early part of the year and the second in the latter part; some calendars align differently to fit local school terms or holidays. In Italian and Portuguese contexts, the terms primo quadrimestre and secondo quadrimestre are used to distinguish the two periods.

Beyond education, quadrimestre can describe any four-month reporting or planning window in business, government, or research. It sits between a bimestre (two months) and a trimestre (three months) in length and can be used for budgeting, statistics, or performance reviews. Because the length and naming of quadrimestres vary by country and organization, there is no universal standard for its exact start and end dates.

In sum, a quadrimestre is a four-month period used to organize time for academic, administrative, and planning purposes, with regional variations in how the months are arranged and labeled.