quartet

especially British, quar·tette

[kwawr-tet]

noun

1. any group of four persons or things.

2. an organized group of four singers or players.

3. a musical composition for four voices or instruments.

quartet

/ kwɔːˈtɛt /

noun

1. a group of four singers or instrumentalists or a piece of music composed for such a group See string quartet

2. any group of four

   a quartet of fast bowlers

quartet

1. A group of four musicians or singers; also, a piece of music for four instruments or voices.

Word History and Origins

Origin of quartet¹

1765–75; < Italian quartetto, diminutive of quarto < Latin quartus fourth

Word History and Origins

Origin of quartet¹

C18: from Italian quartetto, diminutive of quarto fourth

Example Sentences

He moved to New York in the mid-’60s and joined Charles Lloyd’s quartet before collaborating with Evans and then with Davis.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The broader market is only getting a modest boost from the quartet of solid updates.

Read more on Barron's

The Tennessee-born rock quartet had a rather definable turning point in its career upon the release of their third album, “Because of the Times.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Much of Mr. Roberts’s movement for that quartet of dancers, despite some upper-body torsioning and unison pacings, presents repeated articulations for their arms, suggesting the flapping of wings, which grows monotonous.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

I was standing at the back of Methodist Central Hall in Westminster listening to a quartet of prime ministers.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• assemblage 
• band 
• cast 
• choir 
• chorus 
• orchestra 
• quintet 
• sextet 
• trio 
• troupe