quintet

/kwɪnˈtɛt/

Other forms: quintets

When five people do something together, you can refer to them as a quintet. If only there were that fifth Beatle, then they would have been considered a quintet. Sigh.

The most common kind of quintet is a five-person musical group. A string quintet might be made up of two violinists, a viola player, and two cellists, while your cousin's a cappella quintet will have five harmonizing singers. If you can usually be found hanging out with your four best friends, people might call the five of you a quintet. The original meaning was "musical composition for five voices," from the Latin quintus, "the fifth."and quinque, "five."

Definitions of quintet

1. noun

   a musical composition for five performers
   synonyms: quintette

   type of:

   composition, musical composition, opus, piece, piece of music

   a musical work that has been created
2. noun

   five performers or singers who perform together
   synonyms: quintette

   type of:

   musical group, musical organisation, musical organization

   an organization of musicians who perform together
3. noun

   five people considered as a unit
   synonyms: fivesome, quintette

   type of:

   assemblage, gathering

   a group of persons together in one place
4. noun

   a set of five similar things considered as a unit
   synonyms: quintette, quintuple, quintuplet

   type of:

   set

   a group of things of the same kind that belong together and are so used
5. noun

   the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
   synonyms: 5, Little Phoebe, Phoebe, V, cinque, fin, five, fivesome, pentad, quint, quintuplet

   type of:

   digit, figure

   one of the elements that collectively form a system of numeration