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

Formed in 1997 in Coral Springs, Florida, the quartet — vocalist Jordan Pundik, guitarist Chad Gilbert, bassist Ian Grushka and drummer Cyrus Bolooki — are approaching their 30th anniversary as a band. —Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 21 Feb. 2026

The quartet did not participate in this week's WDR, but three of them were present for the proceedings. —Mike Wall, Space.com, 20 Feb. 2026

The mission looks to send the quartet in the Orion spacecraft launched atop the SLS rocket for a 10-day mission that will take them out past the moon and back. —Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Feb. 2026

Records placed the quartet in an avant-jazz lineage stretching back to John Coltrane and Archie Shepp. —Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Pitchfork, 19 Feb. 2026

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