quintet
C1Neutral to formal. Common in music, arts, and academic contexts. Can be used in everyday conversation but is more precise than simply saying 'group of five'.
Definition
Meaning
A group of five people or things, especially five musicians performing together.
A composition written for five performers. Can also refer to any organized set of five related items, such as a quintet of novels or ideas.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Inherently implies a unit or ensemble, not a random collection. Focuses on the collaborative or collective nature of the five entities. Can be used figuratively.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in core meaning or usage. Spelling and pronunciation are consistent.
Connotations
In both varieties, carries connotations of artistic collaboration, precision, and structured harmony, especially in musical contexts.
Frequency
Equally common in both BrE and AmE, primarily within arts, culture, and descriptive academic/professional writing.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The quintet played beautifully.She is a member of a quintet.The piece was written for a quintet of strings.The novels form a quintet.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Not applicable. 'Quintet' is not typically used in idiomatic expressions.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Could be used metaphorically to refer to a five-person team or a set of five key principles.
Academic
Used in musicology, literary criticism (e.g., a quintet of plays), and other fields to describe a set of five related works or entities.
Everyday
Most commonly used when talking about music groups. 'I'm going to see a jazz quintet tonight.'
Technical
Standard term in music for both the ensemble and the composition. Also used in physics/chemistry for a group of five related particles or elements.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I saw a quintet in the park. They played nice music.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the word 'QUIN' which relates to 'five' (like in quintuplets) and 'TET' which sounds like 'set' – a set of five.
Conceptual Metaphor
HARMONY IS NUMERICAL BALANCE. A quintet represents a specific, complete, and balanced unit of cooperation.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque 'квинтет' for non-musical contexts, as the Russian word is highly music-specific. In English, it's more flexible.
- Do not confuse with 'quintessence' (квинтэссенция), which is unrelated in meaning.
Common Mistakes
- Pronouncing it as /'kwɪn.tɪt/ (incorrect stress). The stress is on the second syllable: quin-TET.
- Using it to refer to a group of four or six people.
- Using 'quintet' as a verb (e.g., 'They quintetted' is incorrect).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'quintet' LEAST likely to be used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. While most common for musical groups, it can refer to any set of five related items, such as a quintet of books, films, or even ideas (e.g., 'a quintet of core values').
A quintet specifically denotes five performers. A choir is typically a much larger group of singers, often with multiple voices per part.
Yes. In both standard varieties, the primary stress is on the second syllable: /kwɪnˈtet/.
A group of four is a quartet (or tetrad), and a group of six is a sextet (or hexad).