troubadour

[ troo-buh-dawr, -dohr, -door ]

noun

1. one of a class of medieval lyric poets who flourished principally in southern France from the 11th to 13th centuries, and wrote songs and poems of a complex metrical form in langue d'oc, chiefly on themes of courtly love. Compare trouvère.
2. any wandering singer or minstrel.

troubadour

/ ˈtruːbəˌdʊə /

noun

1. any of a class of lyric poets who flourished principally in Provence and N Italy from the 11th to the 13th centuries, writing chiefly on courtly love in complex metric form
2. a singer

Word History and Origins

Origin of troubadour¹

First recorded in 1720–30; from French, from Provençal trobador, equivalent to trob(ar) “to find, compose” ( trover ) + -ador (from Latin -ātor -ator

Word History and Origins

Origin of troubadour¹

C18: from French, from Old Provençal trobador , from trobar to write verses, perhaps ultimately from Latin tropus trope

Example Sentences

An elite balladeer with stylistic range, Boone made like a seasoned pop-soul troubadour at times, later delivering soaring folk-pop anthems with “My Greatest Fear” and the heart-pouring “Pretty Slowly,” a cathartic unreleased number.

From Seattle Times

Halfway through the film, a troubadour sings a ballad recounting the misadventures of the poor thieves we’ve been watching, pointing out Arthur’s adrift state.

From Los Angeles Times

Is theirs music that ever said “engine for movie about young man who wants to skip college to join circus and falls for young troubadour who paints window frames?”

From New York Times

Residents have been left bewildered by the box's transformation that consists of a sign attached to the door and images of the tousle-haired troubadour.

From BBC

The brash rock musician who evolved from a baby-faced harmony singer with the Byrds to a mustachioed hippie superstar and troubadour in Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• crooner
• minstrel
• songwriter