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

This sirvente which was apparently composed during a brief interval during which the jongleurs amused the company, was read in a sonorous voice by Archbishop Boniface.

From Romance of Roman Villas (The Renaissance) by Champney, Elizabeth W. (Elizabeth Williams)

Perhaps the most famous, peculiar, and representative of Provençal forms are the alba, or poem of morning parting, and the sirvente, or poem not of love.

From The Flourishing of Romance and the Rise of Allegory (Periods of European Literature, vol. II) by Saintsbury, George

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 Elson, Arthur

A sirvente by an anonymous troubadour shows how anxiously he was expected in Languedoc.

From A History of The Inquisition of The Middle Ages; volume I by Lea, Henry Charles

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 Yonge, Charlotte Mary

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

From The Troubadours by Chaytor, H.J.

But it was dangerous to dismiss one of these violent poets without good excuse, for he might turn from love songs to sirventes, and satirize her whom before he had extolled as a paragon.

From Women of Mediæval France Woman: in all ages and in all countries Vol. 5 (of 10) by Butler, Pierce

A poetical form of much importance was the sirventes, which outwardly was indistinguishable from the chanso.

From The Troubadours by Chaytor, H.J.

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 Chaytor, H.J.

This sirventes was answered by a trobairitz, Germonde of Montpelier, but her reply lacks the vigour and eloquence of the attack.

From The Troubadours by Chaytor, H.J.