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

When the Athletics dealt star closer Mason Miller to the San Diego Padres for a quartet of top prospects at the 2025 trade deadline, the flamethrowing closer was in a sort of sophomore slump. —Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 23 May 2026

Gauff is defending 2,000 rankings points and needs to win a good deal of them back to stay in the quartet. —Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 23 May 2026

Our unlucky simp is Bear (Michael Johnston), one of a quartet of early-20-something friends who work at a music store and get drunk at trivia as often as possible. —Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 23 May 2026

Baby Yoda being really cute alongside his little Anzellan quartet and their endlessly funny lines. —Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 22 May 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
• binet
• 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