string quartet
8
3.5
- noun
- /strɪŋ kwɔːrˈtɛt/
:
cuarteto de cuerdas
- At the wedding, the guests enjoyed beautiful music performed by a string quartet.
- Beethoven's string quartets
Listen to Beethoven's last six string quartets.
- Listen to Beethoven's last six string quartets.
- And one of them was Ben Johnston's, Ben Johnston's Seventh String Quartet.
- If they like Mozart and soft string quartets, there's somebody that kind of values softness and tranquility in peace and you're not like that.
- It's like there's a violin string quartet.
Examples
-
A string quartet was playing Haydn airs in one of the public salons.
Fiction book (1993) -
Candy-striped tents had been raised, and a string quartet played Mozart.
Fiction book (1992) -
Afternoon tea was being served, and a string quartet played.
Fiction book (1996) -
The film is centered on a string quartet setting up for their 25th anniversary concert.
Blog text (7) -
I went to hear string quartets, and I went to hear symphony orchestras.
Academic text (1998) -
If they want music with their dinner parties, their staff can summon a string quartet or a choir.
Blog text (23) -
There was a different string quartet playing in the immense dining room of the Hotel Pandora.
Fiction book (2002) -
Every Friday evening, my mother had string quartets, and our home resounded with Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Bach, and more.
Academic text (1998) -
In alcoves off the lobby, tourists sip Pisco Sours, and a string quartet plays Strauss and Lehar at tea time.
Fiction book (1991) -
" On the small elevated bandstand, which was partially screened by potted palms, a formally attired string quartet was attempting Mozart.
Fiction book (2002)
Synonyms
12
3.4
A piece of music written for four instruments or singers
A group of four players, two violins, a viola, and a cello, or a piece written for them
A piece of music written for four instruments
How Large
1
3.5
1
3.5
1
5.3
8
3.5
- Specialized
7
3.2
23
4.7
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a quartet of string instruments' is directly and compositionally derived from 'string' (referring to string instruments) + 'quartet' (a group of four), following a common English noun-noun compounding pattern. This structure is cross-linguistically common and any minor ambiguity of 'string' (e.g., cord vs. instrument) is resolved by musical context, so a B1 learner who knows both words will understand the MWE.
Etymology
The noun string quartet comes from a simple image: string shows the instruments (two violins, a viola and a cello) and quartet means four players, so it refers to a 'group' of four string players or the 'piece' written for them.