ballad

[bal-uhd]

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.

ballad

/ 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

ballad

¹

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.

ballad

²

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

Other Word Forms

• balladic adjective
• balladlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ballad¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of ballad¹

C15: from Old French balade , from Old Provençal balada song accompanying a dance, from balar to dance, from Late Latin ballāre ; see _ball ²

Example Sentences

Roan’s “The Subway” didn’t have the commercial legs of some of her earlier hits, but it’s the type of grandly emotional ballad that voters love.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Powered by the breakout single Go, a raw but soulful break-up ballad, it earned the 25-year-old a Mercury Prize nomination for album of the year.

Read more on BBC

At the time, she had only shared two singles from the upcoming project — “Skittles,” an indie-pop tribute to her late first love, and “Ysilandia” a punky guitar ballad featuring fellow Puerto Rican singer Robi.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Eilish has continued to explore new styles on her subsequent releases—pulling off swooning retro ballads on Happier Than Ever and gesturing toward dance music on Hit Me Hard and Soft.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The ballad “Night Game” features Mr. Simon’s layered vocal supported by the melancholy jazz harmonica of Toots Thielemans.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• chant 
• ditty