Minuet
/ˌmɪn.juˈɛt/noun
A slow, graceful dance in triple time, or a piece of music written in that style.
Did you know?The word comes from French minuet, originally meaning a “small, dainty” dance, from minuet/minueté related to Latin minutus, “made small,” the same root behind minute and diminish.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
minutus
“made small; lessened”
Old French
Old French
menu
“small, fine, delicate”
Old French
Old French
menuet
“a small, dainty dance”
17th Century
French
minuet
“a refined court dance in triple time”
Modern English
English
minuet
“a slow, formal dance or musical movement in triple time”