duet
Americannoun
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duets
plural
noun
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Also called (esp for instrumental compositions): duo. a musical composition for two performers or voices
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an action or activity performed by a pair of closely connected individuals
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of duet
1730–40; earlier duett < Italian duetto, equivalent to du ( o ) duet + -etto -et
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Explanation
A duet is two people singing or playing musical instruments together. You and your brother might be a popular sidewalk duet with your fiddle-accordion combo. If you have tickets for a musical duet, you'll be watching and listening to two performers. You can also call the composition that's written for the two of them a duet, since it has parts for two instruments. Two dancers can also perform a duet, a dance especially choreographed for a couple. Duet stems from the Italian duetto, "musical composition for two voices," from duo, or "two."
Vocabulary lists containing duet
Music - Introductory
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Music - Middle School
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It Takes Two: Di
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
In an eye-catching debut, the impressively schooled and wonderfully animated corps de ballet dancer Kloe Walker, ably supported by an elegant Preston Chamblee, made fine work of the ballet’s “Serenata” duet.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026
She has recorded her meditative work “The Ballerina” in several duet contexts, but here she and Mr. Hurst trade interlocking figures while Mr. Blake’s shimmering percussion provides a stellar backdrop.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
Just months before her death in August at age 80, Parton had recorded a duet with Bono that will be included in U2’s upcoming album, “Carnaval de Luz,” the band announced Thursday.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
A street performer singing Coldplay covers unknowingly had a duet with the band’s singer Chris Martin.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 22, 2026
As Wynn’s Chevy lurched to a stop, he pushed a few buttons and a slide guitar intro began for what I could only guess was Brent Chisholm’s duet with Momma.
From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry
Kelly Guerra was an affecting, complex Macaria, her luminous mezzo making an eloquent contrast with the high, bright soprano of Maia Aramburú as Pina; their duets were among the score’s best moments.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
Parton and Rogers' rendition, though, remains one of most popular country-pop duets of all time and a classic of the genre.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
In February, she released her third album in less than three years, “Cloud 9,” which features chart-topper “6 Months Later,” and duets with Kacey Musgraves and Ed Sheeran.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026
When Broadway veteran Rachel Potter brought friend and fellow showcase act Omar Cardona out to sing with her, she told the audience they had developed an entire show of duets.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 30, 2026
She played duets with Ekaterina Migunova, her deputy chief of staff and an old friend from the Zhukovsky Academy.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
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