quartet
UK[kwɔːˈtet]US[kwɔːrˈtet]
n
a group of four musicians who play musical instruments or sing together
n
a piece of music written for four musicians or singers
n
a set of four people or things
Morpheme Breakdown
quart
et
quart
four
et
small group
Etymology
the word 'quartet' entered english in the early 18th century from italian 'quartetto', which itself is a diminutive form based on the latin 'quartus', meaning 'fourth'. the italian suffix '-etto' was added to denote a small, cohesive group, specifically applied to musical compositions for four parts. this construction directly links the core concept of 'four' to the artistic ensemble, evolving from a numerical term into a specialized label for a group of four performers or the music written for them.
Analysis
Structure: quart (four) + et (small group)
quart originates from latin 'quartus', meaning 'fourth'. et is a diminutive suffix from italian '-etto', indicating a small or compact group.
Examples
the string quartet performed a piece by beethoven.
she composed a beautiful jazz quartet for saxophone and piano.
the final project was developed by a quartet of brilliant engineers.