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• bard
  bard

  noun

  (formerly) a person who composed and recited epic or heroic poems, often while playing the harp, lyre, or the like.
• Bard
  Bard

  noun

  an epithet of William Shakespeare

bard

¹ American  

[bahrd] / bɑrd /

noun

1. (formerly) a person who composed and recited epic or heroic poems, often while playing the harp, lyre, or the like.

2. one of an ancient Celtic order of composers and reciters of poetry.

3. any poet.

4. the bard, William Shakespeare.

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bard ² American  

[bahrd] / bɑrd /

Also barde

noun

1. Armor. any of various pieces of defensive armor for a horse.

2. Cooking. a thin slice of fat or bacon secured to a roast of meat or poultry to prevent its drying out while cooking.

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verb (used with object)

1. Armor. to caparison with bards.

2. Cooking. to secure thin slices of fat or bacon to (a roast of meat or poultry) before cooking.

bard ¹ British  

/ bɑːd /

noun

1. 1. (formerly) one of an ancient Celtic order of poets who recited verses about the exploits, often legendary, of their tribes

   2. (in modern times) a poet who wins a verse competition at a Welsh eisteddfod

2. archaic any poet, esp one who writes lyric or heroic verse or is of national importance

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bard ² British  

/ bɑːd /

noun

1. a piece of larding bacon or pork fat placed on game or lean meat during roasting to prevent drying out

2. an ornamental caparison for a horse

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verb

1. to place a bard on

Bard ³ British  

/ bɑːd /

noun

1. an epithet of William Shakespeare

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Other Word Forms

• bardic
  adjective
• bardish
  adjective
• bardism
  noun
• bardlike
  adjective
• bardship
  noun

Etymology

Origin of bard¹

1400–50; late Middle English < Celtic; compare Irish, Scots Gaelic bard, Welsh bardd, Breton barz < Indo-European *gwrs-do-s singer, akin to Albanian grisha (I) invited (to a wedding)

Origin of bard²

1470–80; < Middle French barde < Southern Italian barda armor for a horse < Arabic bardaʿah packsaddle < Persian pardah covering

Explanation

If you’ve heard the word bard, it was probably in English class. William Shakespeare has been known as "The Bard" since the nineteenth century, but the word has a much older history, and, when it's not capitalized, it simply means "lyric poet." In civilizations without written histories, poets and singers were the ones to spread the word from place to place and across generations. In ancient and medieval Gaelic societies, the professional storytellers were called bards (or bardds, in Wales). Irish bards were part of a chieftain's household, and their job was to record and proclaim the exploits of their lord — although a bard might also compose blistering satires if he was displeased with his employer.

Example Sentences

But translating the Bard requires some difficult choices.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026

It works for both experienced lovers of the Bard and newcomers.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

The Epstein documents include evidence that administrators and professors at other prestigious colleges and universities like Duke, Yale, Bard, Princeton and Columbia also exchanged messages with Epstein.

From Salon • Feb. 28, 2026

He attended Bard College in New York and soon began his career in songwriting.

From Barron's • Feb. 17, 2026

How Auntie North volunteered to watch Orion when they’d gone to visit Leigh the Bard.

From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova