quietude

noun

qui·​etude ˈkwī-ə-ˌtüd How to pronounce quietude (audio)
-ˌtyüd
: a quiet state : repose

Examples of quietude in a Sentence

after his tantrum, the toddler lapsed into an exhausted quietude and fell asleep the quietude of the early morning was broken only by the occasional chirping of birds
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In recent weeks, the quietude of this affluent Beverly Hills neighborhood has been filled with the buzzing of tourists and true crime fanatics all swarming to peek at the infamous Menendez mansion on Elm Drive — where two brothers murdered their parents in 1989. Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2024 McQueen’s script doesn’t waste any time, but the director savors these moments of domestic quietude as much as Rita and George do. David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 10 Oct. 2024 The effect is meditative and moving, an urgent quietude not always found in the Sturm und Drang that attends both our contemporary poetry and our politics. Tomas Tranströmer, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2024 Related Stories Lifestyle Cover Reveal: Graydon Carter's Vanity Fair Tell-All Lifestyle Julia Roberts to Narrate Audiobook of Lisa Marie Presley's Posthumous Memoir The quietude of the scene belies the tumult that occurred here just days before. Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for quietude 

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French, borrowed from Medieval Latin quiētūdō, from Latin quiētus quiet entry 2 + -tūdō, suffix of abstract nouns

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of quietude was in 1597

Dictionary Entries Near quietude

Cite this Entry

“Quietude.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quietude. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

quietude

noun
qui·​etude ˈkwī-ə-ˌt(y)üd How to pronounce quietude (audio)
: the state of being quiet : tranquillity

More from Merriam-Webster on quietude

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!