sirvente

American  

[ser-vent, seer-vahnt] / sərˈvɛnt, sirˈvɑ̃t /

Or sirventes

noun

• sirventes
  plural

1. a medieval poem or song of heroic or satirical character, as composed by a troubadour.

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sirvente British  

/ səˈvɛnt /

noun

1. a verse form employed by the troubadours of Provence to satirize moral or political themes

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• sirventes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of sirvente

1810–20; back formation from Provençal sirventes literally, pertaining to a servant, i.e., lover (the -s being taken as plural sign). See servant, -ese

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sirvente sirventes

The sirvente was a song of war or politics, sometimes satirical, sometimes in praise of the exploits of a generous patron.

From Woman's Work in Music by Arthur Elson

For he was making a sirvente in praise of Guenevere.

From Jurgen A Comedy of Justice by James Branch Cabell

He deemed himself forgotten in his captivity, and composed an indignant sirvente in his favorite Provençal tongue.

From Cameos from English History, from Rollo to Edward II by Charlotte Mary Yonge

The rhymes in the sirvente differed from what we consider correct by consisting always of a repetition of the same word.

From Woman's Work in Music by Arthur Elson

Again, the Provençal sirvente is represented by the northern serventois, a poem in Chanson form, but occupied instead of love with war, satire, religion, and miscellaneous matters.

From A Short History of French Literature by George Saintsbury

This animosity was trumpeted forth in two lampooning sirventes criticising the public policy and the private life of the Spanish King.

From The Troubadours by H.J. Chaytor

It was more simply turned, however, than was the general cast of the sirventes, and rather resembled the lai of a Norman minstrel.

From The Fair Maid of Perth Or, St. Valentine's Day by Sir Walter Scott

The poets of the former race were called "Minstrels", and their poems "Lays": those of the latter were termed "Troubadours", and their compositions called "sirventes", and other names.

From Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott

Bertran is especially famous for his political sirventes and for the martial note which rings through much of his poetry.

From The Troubadours by H.J. Chaytor

From the chanso the sirventes is distinguished by its subject matter; it was the vehicle for satire, moral reproof or political lampooning.

From The Troubadours by H.J. Chaytor