Skip to the word

Added 2 October 2026

quiet

/ˈkwaɪ̯.ət/ adjective

In Latin: tacitus, silens Wiktionary

adjective Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about quiet at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

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
Not busy, of low quantity.
The traffic was quiet for a Monday morning.

verb

To cause (someone or something) to become quiet.
Can you quiet your child? He’s making lots of noise.
To become quiet or calm.
When you quiet, we can start talking.

noun

The absence of sound; quietness.
There was a strange quiet in the normally very lively plaza.
The absence of movement; stillness, tranquility.
The absence of disturbance or trouble; peace, security.

interjection

Be quiet.
Quiet! The children are sleeping.

Origin

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, quit, quite, and quietus. Largely displaced native English still in the sense of "with little or no sound".

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word