minuet

min·u·et

noun \ˌmin-yə-ˈwet\

Definition of MINUET

1

: a slow graceful dance in ³⁄₄ time characterized by forward balancing, bowing, and toe pointing

2

: music for or in the rhythm of a minuet

Examples of MINUET

1. The orchestra played a minuet.

Origin of MINUET

French menuet, from obsolete French, tiny, from Old French, from menu small, from Latin minutus

First Known Use: 1672

Other Music Terms

cacophony, chorister, concerto, counterpoint, madrigal, obbligato, presto, presto, refrain, riff, segue

Rhymes with MINUET

aiguillette, alphabet, anisette, avocet, banneret, basinet, bassinet, bayonet, bobbinet, bouncing bet, briolette, burgonet, calumet, canzonet, castanet, cellarette, chemisette, cigarette, clarinet, Cook Inlet, coronet, corselet, dragonet, dresser set, electret, en brochette, epaulet, Ethernet, etiquette, falconet, farmerette, featurette, flageolet, flannelette, great egret, guillemet, heavyset, jaconet, Joliet, Juliet, kitchenette, landaulet, lanneret, launderette, leatherette, luncheonette, maisonette, majorette, marmoset, marquisette, martinet, mignonette, minaret, miquelet, netiquette, novelette, oubliette, parapet, paupiette, photoset, pirouette, plasma jet, quodlibet, rondelet, safety net, satinet, scilicet, sermonette, serviette, silhouette, sobriquet, solleret, somerset, Somerset, soviet, space cadet, spinneret, statuette, stockinette, suffragette, superjet, swimmeret, taboret, teacher's pet, thermoset, towelette, trebuchet, tricolette, triple threat, underlet, usherette, vinaigrette, wagonette, web-offset

minuet

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Dignified couple dance derived from a French folk dance, dominant in European court ballrooms in the 17th–18th century. Using small, slow steps to music in time, dancers often performed choreographed figures combined with stylized bows and curtsies. The most popular dance of the 18th-century aristocracy, it fell from favour after the French Revolution in 1789. It was of great importance in art music; commonly incorporated into the suite c. 1650–1775, it was the only dance form retained in the symphony, sonata, string quartet, and other multimovement art-music genres up to c. 1800.