Glossary for Geospatial Science

quad, quadrangle, map quad or map quadrangle:  The geographic area covered by a map.  One kind of map quadrangle is the 7.5' x 7.5' area that is covered by a standard USGS 7.5' topographic map.  Referring to a 7.5' map quadrangle does not imply the presence of an actual paper map.  The term may simply designate the area covered by electronically stored materials.