quarti

Quarti is an Italian noun used primarily as the plural of quarto, meaning a quarter or one of four equal parts. The term derives from the Latin quartus, meaning “fourth,” and is widely employed in Italian to indicate fractional parts, portions of a whole, or subdivisions of time and space.

In everyday language, quarti denotes fractions such as two quarters (due quarti) or three quarters (tre quarti) of something, and it also appears in time expressions like tre quarti d’ora, meaning forty-five minutes. The plural form is common in numerical contexts and does not require special agreement beyond the usual gender and number rules of Italian grammar.

Quarti also exists as an Italian surname. As with many surnames rooted in measurements or locations, it likely originated from a designation related to a quarter or district within a town. Bearers of the name may be found in historical and contemporary records in Italy and abroad.

Outside Italian usage, the term is uncommon in English, where “quarter” or “quarterly” are standard translations. The word is related to other Romance-language terms such as Spanish cuartos and French quartiers, all sharing the same root meaning of a quarter, a fourth, or a district.