serenade

American  

[ser-uh-neyd] / ˌsɛr əˈneɪd /

noun

1. a complimentary performance of vocal or instrumental music in the open air at night, as by a lover under the window of his lady.

2. a piece of music suitable for such performance.

3. serenata.

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verb (used with or without object)

serenaded, serenading

1. to entertain with or perform a serenade.

serenade British  

/ ˌsɛrɪˈneɪd /

noun

1. a piece of music appropriate to the evening, characteristically played outside the house of a woman

2. a piece of music indicative or suggestive of this

3. an extended composition in several movements similar to the modern suite or divertimento

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verb

1. (tr) to play a serenade for (someone)

2. (intr) to play a serenade

Other Word Forms

• serenader
  noun
• unserenaded
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of serenade

1640–50; < French sérénade < Italian serenata; see serenata

Explanation

If you really want to win someone's heart, take your ukulele to his house at night and serenade him under his open window. When you serenade someone, you play or sing a song, often outdoors. In Italian, serenata means "an evening song," and the noun serenade is a tune played or sung, either for one specific person or for a larger audience, outside. It's still a serenade if you sing in the daytime, but the classic example of a serenade is a man singing below a woman's window at night. The word serenade can be both a noun — the song itself — and a verb — the act of singing or playing the song.

Example Sentences

Snoop Dogg has asked fans to serenade him by twirling towels on his first visit to the club.

From BBC • Feb. 24, 2026

The rain did not dampen the spirits of a hearty and colourful band of about two dozen Zimbabwe fans, who danced and sang throughout the damp afternoon to serenade their team's qualification.

From Barron's • Feb. 17, 2026

Its descending bass line, colored by Fender Rhodes piano and Mr. Frampton’s tender vocals, result in a soulful serenade: “Wanna be with you night and day / Ooh, baby, I love your way.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 19, 2026

UCLA’s 24 consecutive points made its halftime advantage seem far greater, prompting Michigan State fans to serenade their team with boos heading into the locker room on what was shaping up as a not-so-festive homecoming.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 11, 2025

In neighboring yards people continued what they were doing, oblivious to the serenade.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides