quartet

noun

quar·​tet kwȯr-ˈtet 

variants or less commonly quartette

1

: a musical composition for four instruments or voices

2

: a group or set of four

especially : the performers of a quartet

Examples of quartet in a Sentence

He is a member of a jazz quartet.

a string quartet by Beethoven

The author wrote a quartet of novels about the same character.

Recent Examples on the Web

Giles is the odd one out in the quartet, being the only non-Scotsman. —Liam Tharme, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2025

This free concert will fuse Western and Indian music, with a quartet featuring guest Anjan Shah on the bansuri flute. —Virginia Brown, Charlotte Observer, 11 Sep. 2025

The series will feature the Manny Cepeda Orchestra quartet and offer music and dancing for all ages. —Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Sep. 2025

All four players won the Tewaaraton Award for the most outstanding player in college lacrosse, and the quartet was a primary motivation for Law to return to the team in ’25. —Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 7 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Italian quartetto, from quarto fourth, from Latin quartus — more at quart

First Known Use

1773, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing quartet

• barbershop quartet
• string quartet

Rhymes for quartet

• abet
• asset
• baguette
• banquette
• barbette
• beget
• beset
• brevet
• briquette
• brunet
• brunette
• burette

Kids Definition

quartet

noun

quar·​tet

variants also quartette

kwȯr-ˈtet 

1

a

: a musical composition for four instruments or voices

b

: the performers of a quartet

2

: a group or set of four