quiet
See also: qui et
English
Etymology
From Middle English quiete, from Old French quiet (adjective) and quiete (noun), from Latin quiētus, past participle of quiēscere (“to keep quiet, rest”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kʷyeh₁- (“rest”). Doublet of coy and quietus.
Pronunciation
- enPR: kwī'ĭt, IPA(key): /ˈkwaɪ.ɪt/
- (weak vowel merger) enPR: kwī'ət, IPA(key): /ˈkwaɪ.ət/
Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -aɪət
Adjective
quiet (comparative quieter or more quiet, superlative quietest or most quiet)
- With little or no sound; free of disturbing noise.
- I can't hear the music; it is too quiet.
- Having little motion or activity; calm.
- the sea was quiet
- a quiet night at home
- all quiet on the Western front
- Not busy, of low quantity.
- 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 8, in The China Governess:
- It was a casual sneer, obviously one of a long line. There was hatred behind it, but of a quiet, chronic type, nothing new or unduly virulent, and he was taken aback by the flicker of amazed incredulity that passed over the younger man's ravaged face.
- The traffic was quiet for a Monday morning.
- Business was quiet for the season.
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- Not talking much or not talking loudly; reserved.
- He's a very quiet man usually, but is very chatty after a few beers.
- Not showy; undemonstrative.
- a quiet dress
- quiet colours
- a quiet movement
- (software) Requiring little or no interaction.
- a quiet install
Quotations
- For quotations using this term, see Citations:quiet.
Synonyms
- (with little sound): See also Thesaurus:silent
- (having little motion): See also Thesaurus:calm
- (not busy): slow, unbusy
- (not talking): See also Thesaurus:taciturn
- (not showy): modest, plain, simple
Antonyms
- loud
- sounded
- vocal
Translations
with little sound
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having little motion
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not busy
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not talking
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
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Verb
quiet (third-person singular simple present quiets, present participle quieting, simple past and past participle quieted)
- (transitive) To cause (someone or something) to become quiet.
- Synonyms: quiet down, quieten
- Can you quiet your child? He’s making lots of noise.
- The umpire quieted the crowd so the game could continue in peace.
- 1631, Saint Augustine, “He Admires Gods Majesty, and is Inflamed with a Deepe Desire of Praising Him”, in William Watts, transl., Saint Augustines Confessions Translated: […], London: […] Iohn Norton, for Iohn Partridge […], OCLC 1184619147, book 1, paragraph 1, page 2:
- For thou haſt created us for thy ſelfe, and our heart cannot be quieted till it may fine repoſe in thee.
- (intransitive) To become quiet or calm.
- Synonyms: quiet down, quieten
- When you quiet, we can start talking.
Translations
to cause (someone or something) to become quiet
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to become quiet or calm
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
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Noun
quiet (plural quiets)
- The absence of sound; quietness.
- There was a strange quiet in the normally very lively plaza.
- We need a bit of quiet before we can start the show.
- The absence of movement; stillness, tranquility.
- The absence of disturbance or trouble; peace, security.
- 1593, anonymous, The Life and Death of Iacke Straw […], Act III:
- The King & his Nobles thinke they may ſleepe in quiet,
Now they haue giuen vs a little holy water at the Court,
But thers no ſuch matter, we be no ſuch fooles,
To be bobd out with words and after come to hanging: […]
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Translations
absence of sound
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absence of movement
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
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Interjection
quiet
- Be quiet.
- Quiet! The children are sleeping.
Related terms
- acquiesce
- acquiet
- disquiet
- have a quiet word
- inquietude
- keep quiet
- on the quiet
- peace and quiet
- quiesce
- quiescence
- quiescent
- quietage
- quiet as a mouse
- quiet coach
- quiet down
- quieten
- quiet enjoyment
- quietism
- quietist
- quiet lung
- quietly
- quietness
- quiet period
- quietsom
- quietude
- requiem
- so quiet one can hear a pin drop
- ultraquiet
- unquiet
Further reading
- quiet in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- quiet in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911
- quiet at OneLook Dictionary Search
- Douglas Harper (2001–2023), “quiet”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
Anagrams
- quite
Catalan
Etymology
First attested 1490. From Latin quiētus, in this form probably a borrowing or a semi-learned term; compare also the Old Catalan form quet, queda, which was likely inherited.
Pronunciation
- (Balearic) IPA(key): /kiˈət/
- (Central) IPA(key): /kiˈɛt/
- (Valencian) IPA(key): /kiˈet/
Adjective
quiet (feminine quieta, masculine plural quiets, feminine plural quietes)
- calm, stopped
- quiet
Synonyms
- aturat
- detingut
Related terms
- quedar
Copallén
Noun
quiet
- water
References
- Willem F. H. Adelaar, The Languages of the Andes
French
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin quiētus, from quiēs (“rest”). Doublet of coi, which was inherited, and quitte, another borrowing.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /kjɛ/
Audio (file)
Adjective
quiet (feminine quiète, masculine plural quiets, feminine plural quiètes)
- (rare, literary) calm, quiet, peaceful, at ease
Usage notes
Its antonym inquiet is much more common.
Synonyms
- See calme
Related terms
- quiétude
Further reading
- “quiet”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Occitan
Etymology
From Latin quiētus.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [ˈkjet]
Adjective
quiet m (feminine singular quieta, masculine plural quiets, feminine plural quietas)
- calm, stopped
- quiet
Synonyms
- suau
- tranquil