Nonet

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /nɒˈnɛt/

Definitions

1. A musical composition written for nine instruments or voices, often structured for harmony and rhythmic interplay
2. a literary work, typically a poem, created with nine lines that may convey a specific theme or emotion
3. a group or ensemble consisting of nine performers collaborating to produce a unified artistic piece

Etymology: Musicians have a tidy way of naming groups by head count: a duo has two performers, a trio three, a quartet four. "Nonet" follows the same pattern for a group of nine. It was borrowed from Italian "nonetto", which is built on "nono", meaning "ninth". The Italian word is a musical term for a nine-part ensemble, and English adopted it for the same purpose. The word's shape tells the whole story. The "non-" element is the Latin number nine, so a nonet is literally a ninth-based grouping, much like a "nonagon" is a nine-sided figure. The English word keeps the Italian form almost unchanged, a reminder that many terms of Italian music entered English with their original sound intact.