Etymology Dictionary

QUADRILLE,  1. the name of a game at cards; 2. the name of a dance.  (F.,—Span.,—L.)   The name of the dance is late; it is added by Todd to Johnson; so called because danced by 4 persons, or by sets of four.   Not improbably suggested by the game at cards, which was a game for 4 persons with 40 cards; see Pope, Moral Essays, iii. 76; Sat. i. 38.   β. I dissent from Littré's arrangement of the F. word quadrille; he gives quadrille (1), fem. a troop of horses for a tournament; also masc. a dance.   And again, quadrille (2), masc. a game at cards.   Obviously the right arrangement is:  quadrille (1), fem. a troop of horses; and quadrille (2), masc. a game at cards, a dance.   This brings the genders together, and accords with chronology.   γ. And it makes a difference; for quadrille, fem., is of Italian origin, from Ital. quadriglia, short for O. Ital. squadriglia, 'a route, a troop, a crue, a band of men,' Florio; which is connected with Squadron, q.v.   δ. On the other hand, the game at cards, like ombre, is prob. of Span. origin.—Span. cuadrillo, a small square, allied to cuadrilla, 'a meeting of four or more persons,' Neuman.—Span. cuadra, a square.—Lat. quadra, fem. of quadrus, fourfold; see Quadrant.   Cf. Lat. quadrula, a little square.