# duet

/djuˈɛt/ (US) · /djuːˈɛt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/duet
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. musical composition

noun · CEFR B1

a song or piece of music played or sung by two people together.

For teachers: a musical composition for two performers, where each part is of equal importance.

- The two singers performed a beautiful duet that ended the concert.
- The pianist and the cellist rehearsed the complex duet for weeks to ensure their timing was perfectly synchronized for the recital.

### 2. a pair

noun · CEFR B2

two people who work well together or look good as a pair.

For teachers: a pair or couple, particularly one characterized by harmony or elegance.

- The salt and pepper shakers make a charming duet on the dining table.
- The two lead actors were a formidable duet, their chemistry driving the emotional core of the entire production.

### 4. animal communication

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

when two animals, like birds, sing to each other to communicate.

For teachers: to communicate via coordinated vocalizations, typically for territory defense or pair-bonding.

- In the forest, we could hear the two owls duet across the trees.
- Many tropical bird species duet to maintain their pair bond and defend their shared territory from rivals.

## Examples

- The two singers performed a beautiful duet.
- The pianist and the violinist practiced their duet for weeks before the final concert.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.