quaternion

quaternion
/kweuh terr"nee euhn/, n.
1. a group or set of four persons or things.
2. Bookbinding. four gathered sheets folded in two for binding together.
3. Math.
a. an expression of the form a + bi + cj + dk, where a, b, c, and d are real numbers; i2 = j2 = k2 = -1; and ij = -ji = k, jk = -kj = i, and ki = -ik = j.
b. a quantity or operator expressed as the sum of a real number and three complex numbers, equivalent to the quotient of two vectors. The field of quaternions is not commutative under multiplication.
[1350-1400; ME quaternioun < LL quaternion- (s. of quaternio), equiv. to L quatern(i) four at a time + -ion- -ION]

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Universalium. 2010.

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