English
quad
Shortened, via clipping or abbreviation, from various English terms.
The story
Shortened, via clipping or abbreviation, from various English terms. The typography senses are from the abbreviation quad. for obsolete quadrat; the keyboard command comes from the verb sense.
Today it means
noun A blank metal block used to fill short lines of type.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / quad