mid 18th cent.: from French from Spanish cuadrilla or Italian quadriglia 'troop, company', from cuadra, quadra 'square', based on Latin quadrare 'make square'early 18th cent.: from French, perhaps from Spanish cuartillo (from cuarto 'fourth'). The change in the first syllable was due to association with quadrillelate 19th cent.: from French quadrillé, from quadrille 'small square', from Spanish cuadrillo 'small block'
