From Middle English quiete, from Old French quiet and quiete, from Latin quiētus, past participle of quiēscere, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kʷyeh₁-.

• enPR: kwī'ĭt, IPA: /ˈkwaɪ.ɪt/
• (weak vowel) enPR: kwī'ət, IPA: /ˈkwaɪ.ət/

quiet (comparative quieter, superlative quietest)

1. With little or no sound; free of disturbing noise.

   I can't hear the music; it is too quiet.

2. Having little motion or activity; calm.

   the sea was quiet

   a quiet night at home

   all quiet on the Western front

3. Not busy, of low quantity.

   The traffic was quiet for a Monday morning.

   Business was quiet for the season.

   • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 8, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC ↗:

     It was a casual sneer, obviously one of a long line. There was hatred behind it, but of a quiet, chronic type, nothing new or unduly virulent, and he was taken aback by the flicker of amazed incredulity that passed over the younger man's ravaged face.

4. Not talking much or not talking loudly; reserved.

   He's a very quiet man usually, but is very chatty after a few beers.

5. Not showy; undemonstrative.

   a quiet dress

   quiet colours

   a quiet movement

6. (software) Requiring little or no interaction.

   a quiet install

• See also Thesaurus:silent
• See also Thesaurus:calm
• slow, unbusy
• See also Thesaurus:taciturn
• modest, plain, simple

• loud
• sounded
• vocal

• French: calme, silencieux
• German: still, ruhig, leise
• Italian: quieto, silenzioso
• Portuguese: quieto, silencioso
• Russian: ти́хий
• Spanish: quieto, silencioso, tranquilo, calmo, pacífico, silente, callado

• French: tranquille, calme, paisible
• German: still
• Italian: calmo
• Portuguese: quieto
• Russian: споко́йный
• Spanish: tranquilo, detenido, quieto, calmo

• French: calme
• Portuguese: calmo, tranqüilo
• Russian: ти́хий
• Spanish: poco

• French: silencieux, discret
• German: ruhig, still
• Italian: quieto, taciturno
• Portuguese: calado, silencioso
• Russian: споко́йный
• Spanish: reservado, callado, silencioso

quiet (quiets, present participle quieting; simple past and past participle quieted)

1. (transitive) To cause (someone or something) to become quiet.

   Synonyms: quiet down, quieten

   Can you quiet your child? He’s making lots of noise.

   The umpire quieted the crowd so the game could continue in peace.

   • 1631, Saint Augustine, “He Admires Gods Majesty, and is Inflamed with a Deepe Desire of Praising Him”, in William Watts, transl., Saint Augustines Confessions Translated: […], London: […] Iohn Norton, for Iohn Partridge […], →OCLC ↗, book 1, paragraph 1, page 2 ↗:

     For thou haſt created us for thy ſelfe, and our heart cannot be quieted till it may fine repoſe in thee.

2. (intransitive) To become quiet or calm.

   Synonyms: quiet down, quieten

   When you quiet, we can start talking.

• French: apaiser, calmer
• German: ruhen
• Italian: calmare, placare
• Portuguese: silenciar, tranquilizar, acalmar
• Russian: успока́ивать
• Spanish: calmar, callar

• French: apaiser, calmer, taire, tranquilliser
• Russian: успока́иваться
• Spanish: callar

quiet (plural quiets)

1. The absence of sound; quietness.

   There was a strange quiet in the normally very lively plaza.

   We need a bit of quiet before we can start the show.

2. The absence of movement; stillness, tranquility.
3. The absence of disturbance or trouble; peace, security.
   • 1593, anonymous author, The Life and Death of Iacke Straw […], Act III ↗:

     The King & his Nobles thinke they may ſleepe in quiet,
     Now they haue giuen vs a little holy water at the Court,
     But thers no ſuch matter, we be no ſuch fooles,
     To be bobd out with words and after come to hanging: […]

• French: silence
• Italian: silenzio
• Portuguese: calada, silêncio
• Russian: тишина́
• Spanish: silencio

• French: silence, calme
• Italian: pace, tranquillità
• Portuguese: quietude
• Russian: споко́йствие
• Spanish: calma, tranquilidad

1. Be quiet.

   Quiet! The children are sleeping.