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

The majority of its dozen tracks coast along with an agreeable yet lifeless electro-pop groove, with layered voices approximating the earnest and indistinct ballads of latter-day Coldplay.

From The Wall Street Journal

The young pop-soul singer just launched a U.S. headlining tour behind her hit piano ballad ‘Die on This Hill.’

From Los Angeles Times

“I mean, there’s a lot of ballads,” she says.

From Los Angeles Times

For bands such as Styx, commercial success arrived in the form of a ballad.

From The Wall Street Journal

Even romantic ballad Coming Up Roses ends with a sense of unease.

From BBC

Related Words

• chant
• ditty