quiet
pronunciation
How to pronounce quiet in British English:
UK [ˈkwaɪət]
How to pronounce quiet in American English:
US [ˈkwaɪət]
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- Noun:
- a period of calm weather
- an untroubled state; free from disturbances
- the absence of sound
- a disposition free from stress or emotion
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- Verb:
- become quiet or quieter
- make calm or still
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- Adjective:
- characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
- free of noise or uproar; or making little if any sound
- not showy or obtrusive
- in a softened tone
- without untoward incident or disruption
- free from disturbance
- of the sun; characterized by a low level of surface phenomena like sun spots e.g.
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- Adverb:
- with little or no activity or no agitation (`quiet' is a nonstandard variant for `quietly')
Word Origin
- quiet
- quiet: [14] The Latin noun quiēs meant ‘quiet’ (it came from a prehistoric Indo-European base *qwi- ‘rest’, which also produced English while and the final syllable of tranquil). From it was derived the verb quiēscere ‘be still’ (source of English quiescent [17]). Its past participle quiētus has given English quiet (and its Siamese twin coy), quit, and quite, not to mention the derived forms acquit and requite.=> acquit, coy, quit, quite, requite, tranquil, while
- quiet (adj.)
- late 14c., "peaceable, at rest, restful, tranquil," from Old French quiet and directly from Latin quietus "calm, at rest, free from exertion," from quies (genitive quietis) "rest" (see quiet (n.)). As an adverb from 1570s. Related: Quietly; quietness.
- quiet (n.)
- c. 1300, "freedom from disturbance or conflict; calm, stillness," from Old French quiete "rest, repose, tranquility" and directly from Latin quies (genitive quietis) "a lying still, rest, repose, peace," from PIE root *kweie- (2) "to rest, be quiet" (cognates: Old Persian shiyati-, Avestan shaiti- "well-being;" Avestan shyata- "happy;" Gothic hveila, Old English hwil "space of time;" see while (n.)). Late 14c. as "inactivity, rest, repose."
- quiet (v.)
- late 14c., "subdue, lessen," from quiet (adj.) and in part from Latin quietare. From mid-15c. as "to make silent, cause to be quiet;" intransitive sense of "become quiet, be silent" is from 1791. Related: Quieted; quieting.
Antonym
Example
- 1. And I promise to be very quiet .
- 2. A quiet sun causes its own problems .
- 3. Whose quiet stars may see thee and be glad .
- 4. The vast , wind-whipped plaza is a quiet place .
- 5. That night it was finally quiet .