quintet

noun

quin·​tet kwin-ˈtet 

1

: a musical composition or movement for five instruments or voices

2

: a group or set of five: such as

a

: the performers of a quintet

b

: a basketball team

Did you know?

A classical quintet is usually written for strings (usually two violins, two violas, and a cello) or woodwinds (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and horn), but brass quintets (two trumpets, horn, trombone, and tuba) have also become popular in North America recently. In jazz, Miles Davis led two famous quintets. In pop music, the Miracles, the Temptations, and the Jackson 5 were immensely popular vocal quintets. In rock, one of the most common instrumental lineups has been a quintet consisting of two guitars, a bass, a keyboard, and drums; famous rock quintets have included the Grateful Dead and the Beach Boys.

Examples of quintet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The quintet arrived at Citizens Bank Park, site of Tuesday’s Midsummer Classic, on Monday afternoon and spent about an hour fielding questions from reporters while stationed on the left-center field concourse. — Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 13 July 2026

Completing the quintet is Gigi (Gemma Chan), an online follower and airline pilot who’s somehow worked her way into Hollis’s real-life inner circle. — Alison Herman, Variety, 9 July 2026

Yes, Childs is several decades younger than the other members of Sellers’ quintet. — George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2026

The Spice Girls member also know as Sporty Spice recently recounted how she was nearly ejected from the quintet after getting into an argument with Posh Spice herself, Victoria Beckham. — Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 8 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

quintet from Italian quintetto, from quinto fifth, from Latin quintus; quintette from French, from Italian quintetto

First Known Use

1764, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for quintet

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

Kids Definition

quintet

noun

quin·​tet kwin-ˈtet 

1

a

: a musical composition for five instruments or voices

b

: the performers of a quintet

2

: a group or set of five