1875, in reference to telegraph systems in which four messages can be wired simultaneously, from quadru- + -plex. In classical Latin, quadruplex meant "fourfold, quadruple," as a noun, "a fourfold amount."
quadruplex wire
quadroon
quadru-
quadruped
quadruple
quadruplet
quadruplex
quadruplicate
quadruplication
quaere
quaff
quag