quiet

The word “quiet” means making little or no sound. In plain terms, free of noise, or calm and undisturbed — used for sound, places, activity levels, and personalities alike.

“Quiet” is pronounced KWEYE-uht (/ˈkwaɪ̯.ət/ in IPA).

Here is “quiet” used in a sentence: “The library was completely quiet except for turning pages.”

Words with a similar meaning to “quiet” include faint, hushed, low, muffled, quiet as a grave and quiet as a mouse.

The opposite of “quiet” — its antonyms — are noisy and silent.

Depending on how it is used, “quiet” can be an adjective, a verb and a noun.

The word “quiet” comes from Latin. From Latin quiētus, "at rest," the same root that gives us "quit," "quite," and "quietus.".

“Quiet” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

They are different words often mixed up because of their spelling. Quiet is an adjective meaning little or no sound, as in 'a quiet room.' Quite is an adverb meaning fairly or to a degree, as in 'quite good.' A useful reminder: quiet has an extra 'e' tucked before the 't.'

Silent means completely without sound, while quiet means having little sound. A silent room has no noise at all; a quiet room may still have soft or faint sounds. Quiet is therefore a matter of degree, whereas silent describes the total absence of sound.

The clearest opposites are loud and noisy, which describe strong or unpleasant sound. Related opposites include boisterous and rowdy for lively, energetic behaviour. When quiet refers to a calm, still place or a reserved person, opposites such as busy, bustling, or talkative may fit better depending on the context.

Quiet is neutral and takes its tone from context. It is positive when it suggests calm, peace, or focus — a quiet evening or a quiet neighbourhood. It can seem negative when it hints at dullness, or when a 'quiet' person is seen as shy or withdrawn. The setting decides the meaning.