ballad

American  

[bal-uhd] / ˈbæl əd /

noun

1. any light, simple song, especially one of sentimental or romantic character, having two or more stanzas all sung to the same melody.

2. a simple narrative poem of folk origin, composed in short stanzas and adapted for singing.

3. any poem written in similar style.

4. the music for a ballad.

5. a sentimental or romantic popular song.

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ballad British  

/ ˈbæləd /

noun

1. a narrative song with a recurrent refrain

2. a narrative poem in short stanzas of popular origin, originally sung to a repeated tune

3. a slow sentimental song, esp a pop song

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ballad ¹ Cultural  

1. A simple narrative song, or a narrative poem suitable for singing. The ballad usually has a short stanza, such as:

   There are twelve months in all the year,

   As I hear many men say,

   But the merriest month in all the year

   Is the merry month of May.

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ballad ² Cultural  

1. A simple narrative song, or, alternatively, a narrative poem suitable for singing. (See under “Conventions of Written English.”)

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Other Word Forms

• balladic adjective
• balladlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of ballad

1350–1400; Middle English balade < Middle French < Old Provençal balada dance, dancing-song, equivalent to bal ( ar ) to dance (< Late Latin ballāre; ball ² ) + -ada -ade ¹

Example Sentences

Its famous chorus aside, that song’s tune was lifted directly from “Billy the Kid,” a ballad written by topical songsmith Andrew Jenkins and recorded by Vernon Dalhart in 1927.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

“Fight or Fall” is a gorgeous midtempo ballad urging unity among men, and “Cowboy Song” looks at the lonely independence of a rodeo bronco-buster.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 3, 2026

The ballad is from Grimes’ self-titled country album which was released last year.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 1, 2026

Raye, who scooped six awards last time she was at the Brits in 2024, performed a re-imagined version of her hit Where Is My Husband! - before diving into her new soul ballad, Nightingale Lane.

From BBC • Feb. 28, 2026

After they had eaten, John sang a ballad while he dried his clothes.

From "The Door in the Wall" by Marguerite de Angeli

Related Words

• chant
• ditty