septet

American  

[sep-tet] / sɛpˈtɛt /

especially British, septette

noun

1. any group of seven persons or things.

2. a company of seven singers or musicians.

3. a musical composition for seven voices or instruments.

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septet British  

/ sɛpˈtɛt /

noun

1. music a group of seven singers or instrumentalists or a piece of music composed for such a group

2. a group of seven people or things

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Etymology

Origin of septet

From German, dating back to 1830–40; see origin at septi-, -et

Explanation

A group of seven people or seven items is a septet. Parts of Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales are written in septets, or stanzas of seven lines. In literature, the septet is fairly rare and often associated with Chaucer, who was the first known poet to use a seven-line iambic pentameter stanza, also known as a "rhyme royal." Outside of poetry, a septet is also a group of seven singers or musicians. You can describe any group of seven this way as well, like the septet of chickens that lives in your back yard. The Latin root, septem, means "seven."

Example Sentences

This clever overture gives way to a stunning installation of a new septet of sculptures conceived particularly for the museum’s soaring first gallery.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

He was the last of the septet to return to civilian life, following his bandmates Jin, J-Hope, V, RM, Jung Kook and Jimin.

From BBC • Jan. 13, 2026

Retailing stocks are worth about 6% of the AI septet, down from 14% in 2022, more evidence of how the market has become dominated by Nvidia and its peers.

From Barron's • Nov. 18, 2025

“We worked on this today for three hours,” scene tech whiz Beowulf Jones noted as Todd Glass took the sold-out UCB stage with a lounge septet.

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2024

With Everest, the most difficult of the septet, already taken care of, Hall and Ball wangled backing from a big electrical utility, Power Build, and were on their way.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer