minuet

• Nom désignant une danse lente et majestueuse, populaire aux XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles, ou la pièce musicale écrite pour cette danse ou dans son style, souvent intégrée comme mouvement d'une sonate ou d'une suite.

A noun referring to a slow, stately dance popular in the 17th and 18th centuries, or a piece of music composed for or in the style of that dance, often included as a movement in a sonata or suite.

1. Stately court danceB2formal

   A slow, formal dance that was popular in European courts during the 17th and 18th centuries, characterized by graceful steps and bows.

   Minuet (danse de cour)

   • The ball opened with a minuet danced by the king and queen.
   • She practiced the minuet for weeks before the royal performance.
   • Guests lined up to learn the steps of the minuet.
   • The minuet required precise footwork and elegant posture.

2. Musical compositionB2formal

   A piece of music in triple time, originally written to accompany the minuet dance, later often used as a movement in suites, sonatas, or symphonies.

   Menuet (composition musicale)

   • The third movement of the symphony is a graceful minuet.
   • Mozart composed many minuets for piano and orchestra.
   • The minuet alternates between a stately theme and a lighter trio section.
   • The audience applauded the minuet's gentle melody.