Quintade

//ˈkwɪn.teɪd// noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Synonym of pentad: A 5-year period, particularly in reference to the first and second halves of calendrical decades.

    "Thus it appears, that the greatest number of cases of uterine cancer occurs between the ages of 30 and 40, and 40 and 45; that nearly equal numbers take place in the first decade, and the latter quintade; that, nevertheless, if the quintades of the latter decade be conjoined, very nearly double the number (201) take place in the decade between 40 and 50, of that which takes place in the decade between 30 and 40; that next to the decade between 20 and 40, that between 20 and 30 is most liable; yet that this does not approach the quintade between 45 and 50; that below the age of 20 the frequency of uterine cancer varies from on-eighth to one-ninth of that of other periods; that after 50 it is about one-fifteenth; and that after 60 it is so low as a twenty-fifth or twenty-sixth."

  2. 2
    An organ stop corresponding to pewter pipes of 16, 8, 4, and 2 feet.

    "Substituting a Dolce for the Quintade for church use would make this little organ far more useful than some much larger baroque organs that I have played."

Example

More examples

"Thus it appears, that the greatest number of cases of uterine cancer occurs between the ages of 30 and 40, and 40 and 45; that nearly equal numbers take place in the first decade, and the latter quintade; that, nevertheless, if the quintades of the latter decade be conjoined, very nearly double the number (201) take place in the decade between 40 and 50, of that which takes place in the decade between 30 and 40; that next to the decade between 20 and 40, that between 20 and 30 is most liable; yet that this does not approach the quintade between 45 and 50; that below the age of 20 the frequency of uterine cancer varies from on-eighth to one-ninth of that of other periods; that after 50 it is about one-fifteenth; and that after 60 it is so low as a twenty-fifth or twenty-sixth."

Etymology

Blend of quint- (“five”) and decade (“10-year period”).

Related phrases

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.