Definition of octet

The word "octet" has its roots in Latin and Greek. In Latin, the word "octo" means "eight", and this Latin root is borrowed into Middle English as "octe". The noun "octet", which refers to a group of eight people or things, is first recorded in English in the 15th century. In the 17th century, the term "octet" also began to be used in music to refer to a composition of eight lines or a group of eight musical voices. This usage is likely due to the influence of Italian composers, who used the term "ottavo" to describe a group of eight. Today, the word "octet" has a broad range of meanings, including music, poetry, and even chemistry (referring to a molecule with eight atoms). Despite its diversity of meanings, the word retains its roots in the Latin word for "eight".