duet
Americannoun
noun
-
Also called (esp for instrumental compositions): duo. a musical composition for two performers or voices
-
an action or activity performed by a pair of closely connected individuals
verb
Other Word Forms
- duettist noun
Etymology
Origin of duet
1730–40; earlier duett < Italian duetto, equivalent to du ( o ) duet + -etto -et
Compare meaning
How does duet compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
As the Court Poet, baritone Brian Major enlists the Stranger into the storytelling—their eerie duet as the voice of the evil fairy Carabosse is a striking musical moment.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026
The Queen of Pop joined Carpenter on stage for a duet of Vogue, Like A Prayer and a song seemingly from Madonna's new album.
From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026
Just a month after he dropped “Lonely,” Bieber returned to his teen-idol woes — far less movingly, alas — in this dreary duet with Shawn Mendes.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026
A duet with the singer Riley Green, it sounded as retro as a dusty jukebox.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026
Guilt and impotence rose in a bilious duet.
From "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
