What does quintuplet mean?
A quintuplet is a group of five or, in the context of a multiple birth, one of five children born to the same parents at one delivery. The word is used in both general and highly specific contexts: it can describe any five related objects or people, while it often refers to one member of a set of five siblings. It is derived from the same numerical family as quintuple and quintuplicate. In everyday use, quintuplets is usually a plural noun, with singular quintuplet used when one member of the group is being mentioned. Although the word can sound unusual because quintuplet births are rare, it is also a straightforward and useful term for describing a set of five. In headlines and biographical writing, its association with multiple births often gives it a distinctive, human-interest quality.
A group or set of five.
"She arranged the five books into a neat quintuplet on the shelf."
In general contexts, singular and plural usage can vary, but quintuplets is conventional when referring to a group of five.
One of five children born to the same parents at a single birth.
"The quintuplet was born weighing less than a kilogram."
This sense is standard in news, biographical, and medical contexts.
Use plural quintuplets when referring to the five children together; use singular quintuplet for one of them.
"The quintuplets celebrate their birthday every year."
From five to fivefold, the quintuplet belongs to a family of words built around the idea of five.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does quintuplet come from?
Quintuplet is a nineteenth-century English formation based on quintuple, which in turn comes from Latin quinque, meaning “five.” The suffix -et forms a noun associated with a group or member of five, paralleling terms such as triplet and quadruplet. Related English words include quintuplicate and quintuplication, while Latin quinque also underlies quintuple and quintet.
Related word forms
How quintuplet is actually used
The word is neutral in register. In the second sense, it is commonly used in news and biographical contexts about multiple births.
Easily confused with quintuplet
A quintuplet is a group of five, while a quintuple means fivefold or consisting of five parts.
A quintuplet is any group of five, while a quintet usually refers specifically to a group of five musicians or musical notes.