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sextuplet

C2
UK/ˌseksˈtʌp.lət/US/ˌseksˈtʌp.lət/

Formal, Technical

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Definition

Meaning

A group or set of six; especially, one of six children born from the same pregnancy.

In music, a group of six notes of equal value to be played in the time normally taken by four of the same kind.

Linguistics

Semantic Notes

The word is most strongly associated with multiple births (like triplet, quadruplet). The musical sense is highly specialized. A related, informal term for a sextuplet birth is 'hexatuplet' (rare).

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

Minimal. The musical term is identical. In the context of birth, 'sextuplet' is standard in both.

Connotations

Neutral in both, though the context (rare, high-risk birth) carries inherent emotional and medical connotations.

Frequency

Very low frequency in both varieties, used almost exclusively in news reporting of multiple births or in technical music discourse.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
sextuplet birthgive birth to sextupletsa set of sextuplets
medium
rare sextupletssurviving sextupletsextuplet pregnancy
weak
famous sextupletshealthy sextupletsdeliver sextuplets

Grammar

Valency Patterns

to be born as part of sextupletsto be a sextupletto play a sextuplet (musical)

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Strong

hexatuplet (informal/rare)

Neutral

six born togetherset of six (babies)

Weak

multiple birth child (non-specific)

Vocabulary

Antonyms

singletononly childduplet (rare, musical)

Usage

Context Usage

Academic

Used in medical literature and demography regarding fertility treatments and birth statistics.

Everyday

Almost exclusively in news headlines or reports about a rare multiple birth.

Technical

In musical notation, indicating a rhythmic division (e.g., 'a bar of sextuplets').

Examples

By Part of Speech

adjective

British English

  • The sextuplet sisters celebrated their 10th birthday.
  • The passage contains a tricky sextuplet figure.

American English

  • The sextuplet brothers made national news.
  • Practice the sextuplet rhythm slowly at first.

Examples

By CEFR Level

B1
  • The family has sextuplets, which is very rare.
B2
  • News of the healthy sextuplet birth spread quickly across the country.
  • The composer used a sextuplet to create a feeling of rushing.
C1
  • Advances in neonatal care have improved survival rates for sextuplets.
  • The pianist executed the rapid sextuplets in the cadenza with impeccable clarity.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think: 'SIX' + '(mul)tuplet' – it's the 'six-tuplet'.

Conceptual Metaphor

A SIX-PACK (like a pack of items born or played together).

Watch out

Common Pitfalls

Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)

  • Avoid direct translation of musical term; in Russian, it's 'секстоль' (sekstol').
  • Do not confuse with 'шестерня' (gear/cog) which is unrelated.

Common Mistakes

  • Misspelling as 'sextuplate' or 'sextaplet'.
  • Confusing with 'sextet' (a group of six musicians).

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
The medical team was prepared for the complex delivery.
Multiple Choice

In which field, other than medicine, is the term 'sextuplet' technically used?

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

No. Its primary meaning is one of six children from a single birth, but it is also a precise term in music for a group of six equal notes.

'Sextuplets' refers to six siblings born together or a group of six musical notes. A 'sextet' is a group of six people, especially musicians, or a composition for six voices or instruments.

It is pronounced /seks-TUHP-let/, with the primary stress on the second syllable ('tup').

No, it is extremely rare and often associated with fertility treatments. It is a high-risk pregnancy requiring significant medical intervention.