Standard Lemma guide

octet

noun · 10 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ɒkˈtɛt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɛt
  • CMU ARPABET: AA0 K T EH1 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A group or set of eight of something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: octad, octonary, ogdoad, octuplet, nundine

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A group of eight musicians performing together.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music

Examples

  • An octet of waiters sang her "Happy Birthday".

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A composition for such a group of musicians.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A byte of eight bits. Abbreviation: o

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: byte

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A group of three bits, representing any of eight possible values.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: rare

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

a musical composition written for eight performers

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: octette

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: musical composition, opus, composition, piece, piece of music

7

noun

Meaning 7

eight people considered as a unit

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: octette, eightsome

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: gathering, assemblage

8

noun

Meaning 8

a set of eight similar things considered as a unit

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: octette

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: set

9

noun

Meaning 9

eight performers or singers who perform together

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: octette

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: musical organization, musical organisation, musical group

10

noun

Meaning 10

the cardinal number that is the sum of seven and one

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: eight, 8, VIII, eighter, eighter from Decatur, octad, ogdoad, octonary

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: digit, figure

History

Etymology

From oct- (“eight”) + -et.

Across languages

Translations

34 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: осмица (osmica) — group of eight
  • Catalan: octet — group of eight
  • German: Oktett — group of eight
  • Greek: οκτάδα (oktáda) — group of eight
  • Greek: οχτάδα (ochtáda) — group of eight
  • Hebrew: שמיניה — group of eight
  • Ido: okteto — group of eight
  • Māori: tokowaru — group of eight
  • Portuguese: octeto — group of eight
  • Russian: восьмёрка (vosʹmjórka) — group of eight
  • Spanish: octeto — group of eight
  • Afrikaans: oktet — group of eight musicians performing together
  • Bulgarian: октет (oktet) — group of eight musicians performing together
  • Catalan: octet — group of eight musicians performing together
  • Danish: oktet — group of eight musicians performing together
  • French: octuor — group of eight musicians performing together
  • German: Oktett — group of eight musicians performing together
  • Hebrew: שמיניה — group of eight musicians performing together
  • Italian: ottetto — group of eight musicians performing together
  • Norwegian Bokmål: oktett — group of eight musicians performing together
  • Pannonian Rusyn: октет (oktet) — group of eight musicians performing together
  • Polish: oktet — group of eight musicians performing together
  • Portuguese: octeto — group of eight musicians performing together
  • Russian: окте́т (oktét) — group of eight musicians performing together
  • Slovene: oktet — group of eight musicians performing together
  • Spanish: octeto — group of eight musicians performing together
  • Swedish: oktett — group of eight musicians performing together
  • Catalan: octet — composition for such a group
  • Danish: oktet — composition for such a group
  • Norwegian Bokmål: oktett — composition for such a group
  • Slovene: oktet — composition for such a group
  • Swedish: oktett — composition for such a group
  • Icelandic: áttund — rare: byte of three bits
  • Icelandic: átta bita bæti — rare: byte of three bits