What does quintet mean?
A quintet is a group of five, especially a group of five musicians or singers. The word is particularly associated with chamber music, where compositions for five instruments are commonly described by their number and instrumentation, such as a string quintet or piano quintet. Outside music, 'quintet' can refer more generally to any five people or things, though the term may sound somewhat formal or literary. It derives from a numerical root meaning 'five,' the same root that connects it with words such as quintessence, quintile, and quintuple. Understanding the word is useful because it specifies both the size and, in its most familiar sense, the musical character of a group: five distinct voices or instruments working together.
A group of five people or things.
"The committee expanded into a quintet of representatives."
General and relatively formal; 'group of five' is more common in casual speech.
A musical composition for five performers, or the ensemble of five musicians who perform it.
"The program included a piano quintet by a twentieth-century composer."
This is the headword's most common and distinctive sense.
The usual plural is 'quintets.'
"Two quintets performed at the festival."
From the same numerical root as five and fifty, a quintet brings five voices or instruments together in one distinctive ensemble.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does quintet come from?
The word 'quintet' comes through the Italian 'quintetto,' a diminutive form based on the Latin 'quinque,' meaning 'five.' The suffix '-et' was adopted in several European languages to form musical and group names indicating five members. Its English use developed particularly in musical terminology, where it can designate both a composition for five performers and the ensemble that performs it.
Related word forms
How quintet is actually used
The word is most common in music, where it may refer either to the five performers or to the composition they perform. In general use, it can mean any group of five, though it sounds more formal than 'group of five'.