Quintant

Quick meaning: Quintant is a noun meaning (historical) An instrument used for measuring angular distance, capable of measuring angles of up to 72 or 144 degrees.

Meaning

(historical) An instrument used for measuring angular distance, capable of measuring angles of up to 72 or 144 degrees.

More Meanings

1. (rare) A fifth of a circle.

Example Sentences

The dome rests on five pylons, equally spaced at 72°; two of the five quintants embrace the office building.

In former days octants, quintants and quadrants were in general use. The only basic difference between these instruments and the sextant is in the length of the arc.

McCarthy, it may be noted, had escaped when the Andamans were invaded, in a twelve-person party aboard a launch. He had navigated the party as far as Ceylon using a hydrographic quintant in lieu of a magnetic compass.

Sectors are particularly denominated from the proportional part of the circle they contain; thus, a quadrant contains a 4th part of the circle; a quintant, the 5th part; a sextant, the 6th part; an octant, the 8th part; &c.

Word Forms

• quintants

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include quindecangle, quindecile, quincunx, quintary, octant, quadrant.

Related Dictionary Tools