1. plural of quartern; units of measure equal to one-fourth of something, especially a peck or gallon
Usage: archaic; British
2. loaves of bread weighing about four pounds each
Usage: historical; British

Examples

• The baker sold quarterns of wheat bread at the market.
• She measured out two quarterns of oats for the horses.
• The recipe called for a quartern of flour.
• In old England, quarterns were a common unit for grain.
• The merchant’s scales could weigh quarterns accurately.
• Quarterns of barley were stored in the granary.