troubadour

American  

[troo-buh-dawr, -dohr, -door] / ˈtru bəˌdɔr, -ˌdoʊr, -ˌdʊər /

noun

troubadours plural

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.

2. any wandering singer or minstrel.

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troubadour British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• troubadours
  plural

Etymology

Origin of troubadour

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

Explanation

When we think of a troubadour what usually comes to mind is a lovestruck fellow serenading his sweetheart and hoping she'll appear on her balcony. The word troubadour comes from Provence in southern France, where trobar (related to modern French trouver) means "find, invent, compose in verse." The art of serenading one's love comes from the French tradition of courtly love that began in the Middle Ages. Things have changed, though, since the days of the wandering minstrel or jongleur. Our wooing is more private, our entertainment more public, and our terminology has become more practical: We now call our troubadours "singer-songwriters" or "recording artists."

Example Sentences

I heard this kid — he was a kid at the time — at the Troubadour, just him and a guitar, and I got goosebumps.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 2, 2026

On the weekends, a free bus runs down this street every 15 minutes, connecting the Troubadour to Formosa Cafe.

From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026

Spotify wants to give historic venues such as the Troubadour and the Paramount — and the independent musicians who play there — a boost.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026

He said the Troubadour Trust used 50p of every ticket sold at a Troubadour venue to support local communities via workshops, ticket schemes for schools and charities.

From BBC • Feb. 3, 2026

An excellent example of this is to be found in the following stanza written by William of Saint Gregory, a Troubadour who is best known for his songs of war rather than of tenderness.

From The Thirteenth Greatest of Centuries by Walsh, James J. (James Joseph)

Related Words

• crooner
• minstrel
• songwriter