troubadour

American  

[troo-buh-dawr, -dohr, -door] / ˈtru bəˌdɔr, -ˌdoʊr, -ˌdʊər /

noun

• troubadours
  plural

1. one of a class of medieval lyric poets who flourished principally in southern France from the 11th to 13th centuries, and wrote songs and poems of a complex metrical form in langue d'oc, chiefly on themes of courtly love.

2. any wandering singer or minstrel.

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troubadour British  

/ ˈtruːbəˌdʊə /

noun

1. any of a class of lyric poets who flourished principally in Provence and N Italy from the 11th to the 13th centuries, writing chiefly on courtly love in complex metric form

2. a singer

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• troubadours
  plural

Etymology

Origin of troubadour

First recorded in 1720–30; from French, from Provençal trobador, equivalent to trob(ar) “to find, compose” ( cf. trover) + -ador (from Latin -ātor -ator

Explanation

When we think of a troubadour what usually comes to mind is a lovestruck fellow serenading his sweetheart and hoping she'll appear on her balcony. The word troubadour comes from Provence in southern France, where trobar (related to modern French trouver) means "find, invent, compose in verse." The art of serenading one's love comes from the French tradition of courtly love that began in the Middle Ages. Things have changed, though, since the days of the wandering minstrel or jongleur. Our wooing is more private, our entertainment more public, and our terminology has become more practical: We now call our troubadours "singer-songwriters" or "recording artists."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

troubadour troubadours

“Right now I’m a solo artist, which is kind of fun. I’m up there like a folk troubadour, singing the songs, reading from the book, and making some well-timed joke,” he told Salon.

From Salon ● Jul. 29, 2026

The two vivid soloists were tenor Anthony León as the cocky troubadour and baritone Eleomar Cuello as the cocky devil.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 9, 2026

More affecting is Malta's elegant and sentimental ballad Bella, sung by moustachioed troubadour Aidan.

From BBC ● May 8, 2026

The Texas troubadour is celebrating not what’s withered and worn but authentic and real.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 13, 2026

The troubadour, Chrétien, plays a few more notes, and then lowers himself onto a stool.

From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz

Taylor says he is among the last of a generation of troubadours who experienced and wrote about the "romance of the road" from the 1960s, 70s and 80s.

From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026

A wily, rambling record that demonstrated a clear debt to such longhair redneck troubadours as Jerry Jeff Walker, “Down to Earth” didn’t find an audience.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2023

How many times did "Gilmore Girls" have a show, a tiny village with not one but multiple troubadours and Miss Patty's prolific dance studio?

From Salon ● Dec. 18, 2022

The original trovadores were migrant troubadours who also dabbled in bolero and bufo, a kind of satirical musical theater, gradually incorporating Afro-Cuban rhythms.

From New York Times ● Nov. 23, 2022

The revolutionary element he introduced into the sacred music he wrote at Notre-Dame was something he’d clearly learnt from the troubadours, who had in turn picked it up from Spain: rhythm.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

Related Words

• crooner
• minstrel
• songwriter