minuet Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a stately court dance in the 17th century
  2. noun a stately piece of music composed for dancing the minuet; often incorporated into a sonata or suite

WordNet

Min"u*et noun
Etymology
F., fr. menu small, L. minutus small. So called on account of the short steps of the dance. See 4th Minute.
Definitions
  1. A slow graceful dance consisting of a coupee, a high step, and a balance.
  2. (Mus.) A tune or air to regulate the movements of the dance so called; a movement in suites, sonatas, symphonies, etc., having the dance form, and commonly in 3-4, sometimes 3-8, measure.

Webster 1913