quintet
Americannoun
-
any set or group of five persons or things.
-
an organized group of five singers or players.
-
a musical composition scored for five voices or instruments.
noun
-
a group of five singers or instrumentalists or a piece of music composed for such a group
-
any group of five
Etymology
Origin of quintet
1805–15; < French quintette < Italian quintetto, diminutive of quinto fifth < Latin quīntus
Explanation
When five people do something together, you can refer to them as a quintet. If only there were that fifth Beatle, then they would have been considered a quintet. Sigh. The most common kind of quintet is a five-person musical group. A string quintet might be made up of two violinists, a viola player, and two cellists, while your cousin's a cappella quintet will have five harmonizing singers. If you can usually be found hanging out with your four best friends, people might call the five of you a quintet. The original meaning was "musical composition for five voices," from the Latin quintus, "the fifth."and quinque, "five."
Vocabulary lists containing quintet
Scrabble: Words that Begin with Q
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for March 26–April 1, 2022
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Introduction to Poetry
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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 Shuster, a five-time Olympian, won’t be competing in Cortina after his quintet was edged by a mostly young fivesome skipped by Danny Casper in the Olympic trials.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 4, 2026
As the Choreographer, Megan Moore’s plangent mezzo was especially effective in her mourning aria; soprano Whitney Morrison was dramatic as the Performance Artist, the only member of the creative quintet who sees what is coming.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 22, 2025
He works with a quintet featuring trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson, bassist Matt Engle, saxophonist Bryan Rogers and vibraphonist Victor Vieira-Branco, and each contributes concise solos and thoughtful interplay.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 24, 2025
Music lovers will come to understand McCartney’s frustration as he worked to transform his Wings bandmates from dance-hall players into a hard-driving quintet poised for achieving superstardom.
From Salon • Nov. 3, 2025
Newsome Park was a natural place for the quintet to land, its endless city-within-a-city blocks a ready-made brew of neighbors, social organizations, and advice for newcomers.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
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.
