string quintet
1
5.3
- noun
- /strɪŋ kwɪnˈtɛt/
:
quinteto de cuerdas
- The string quintet performed beautifully at the concert hall, captivating the audience with their harmony.
Examples
-
I watched a string quintet showcase their skills as they played intricate melodies together.
-
During the festival, a talented string quintet played classical pieces that inspired everyone present.
-
It made me think of when you gave that string quintet to Schubert.
-
For example, balance means something quite different during the performance of a classical string quintet versus a rap piece, just as rhythmic concepts differ between jazz and classical genres.
Academic text (2014) -
For example, you might play a recording of Pachelbel's Canon in D performed by a brass quintet, followed by a woodwind quintet and a string quintet.
Academic text (2003)
Synonyms
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 group of five musicians who play stringed instruments' is directly and compositionally derived from 'string' (stringed instruments) modifying 'quintet' (an ensemble of five). This modifier+head noun pattern is regular and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
String quintet comes from a simple picture of five players: string names instruments like violin, viola or cello, and quintet means a group of five. So a string quintet is 'a group of five' musicians who play string instruments.