octet

Or oc·tette

[ok-tet]

noun

1. a company of eight singers or musicians.

2. a musical composition for eight voices or instruments.

3. Prosody.,  octave.

4. any group of eight.

octet

/ ɒkˈtɛt /

noun

1. any group of eight, esp eight singers or musicians

2. a piece of music composed for such a group

3. prosody another word for octave

4. chem a group of eight electrons forming a stable shell in an atom

Word History and Origins

Origin of octet¹

1860–65; oct- + -et, as in duet

Word History and Origins

Origin of octet¹

C19: from Latin octo eight, on the model of _duet

Example Sentences

But when you ask them about all that success, the octet are suddenly bashful.

Read more on BBC

That program began with a small octet by Stravinsky and Bartók’s Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The quartet are actually an octet, if their AI counterparts are to be counted – an inventive exercise in transmedia storytelling to match their forward-thinking pop sound.

Read more on Seattle Times

An octet of guest artists improvises in certain passages embedded within the score but also plays written-out music with the rest of the orchestra.

Read more on Seattle Times

Aespa, the K-pop girl group, frequently perform alongside their digital avatars — the quartet is meant to be viewed as an octet with digital twins.

Read more on Seattle Times

Related Words

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