sextuplet

Sextuplet is a term used to denote a group of six items and is used across several disciplines. In music, it designates a six-note group played in the time normally allotted to four notes of the same value. In obstetrics, sextuplets refer to six offspring born from a single pregnancy. In mathematics and computer science, a sextuplet (or six-tuple) denotes an ordered set of six elements.

In music, sextuplets are a type of tuplet and are usually marked with a small 6 above or below the notes. They imply that six even subdivisions fit into the duration of four of the same value, which can adjust depending on meter and note value. They are most common with eighth-note or sixteenth-note groups.

In obstetrics, sextuplets are a very rare form of multiple pregnancy. Outcomes depend on gestational age, prenatal care, and access to neonatal resources; historically survival rates improved with modern obstetrics, though such pregnancies carry higher risks for complications for both mother and babies.

In mathematics, a sextuplet, or six-tuple, is an ordered sequence of six elements, for example (a, b, c, d, e, f). The term is largely synonymous with six-tuple, though sextuplet is encountered primarily in older literature or informal usage.