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octet

American  
[ok-tet] / ɒkˈtɛt /
Or octette

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 British  
/ 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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of octet

1860–65; oct- + -et, as in duet

Vocabulary lists containing octet

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.

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

From BBC • Sep. 25, 2025

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

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2025

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.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 2, 2023

For the flashing lights, booming electronics and pitch-bending vocal octet of a slew of premieres.

From New York Times • Nov. 3, 2022

I was the leader of the octet, and I was on the platform going to meet my partner when I first saw the flame.

From Chicago's Awful Theater Horror by Various

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