quinto
quinto Lexical Profile
• noun
The smallest and highest-pitched type of conga drum, traditionally used as the lead or solo instrument in Afro-Cuban music genres such as rumba.
"During the rumba performance, the percussionist stepped forward to play a complex, improvised solo on the quinto."
A historical tax established in 1504 that required one-fifth of all precious metals mined in the Spanish colonies to be paid to the Spanish Crown.
"The immense influx of silver from Potosí significantly enriched the royal treasury through the collection of the quinto."
Word Nuance & Usage
In Afro-Cuban percussion contexts, 'quinto' strictly denotes the highest-pitched conga drum used for lead solos, distinguished from the larger, lower-pitched tumba and standard conga.
• Rhymes for quinto
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Spanish 'quinto' (a fifth), which derives from Latin 'quintus'. Historically, it referred to the 'quinto real' (royal fifth), a 20% tax levied by the Spanish Crown on minerals. In music, it reflects a proportional size or tuning within the conga drum family.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.