troubadour

American  

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

noun

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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Etymology

Origin of troubadour

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

Example Sentences

Then again, the only artist of color nominated for either prize is Charley Crockett, the Texas-born troubadour whose “Dollar a Day” is up for traditional country album.

From Los Angeles Times

Thirty years after his breakout as a Sundance darling with “The Brothers McMullen,” Edward Burns may have faded from view as an indie troubadour of middle-class mores, family fractures and romantic entanglements.

From Los Angeles Times

An elite balladeer with stylistic range, Boone made like a seasoned pop-soul troubadour at times, later delivering soaring folk-pop anthems with “My Greatest Fear” and the heart-pouring “Pretty Slowly,” a cathartic unreleased number.

From Seattle Times

Halfway through the film, a troubadour sings a ballad recounting the misadventures of the poor thieves we’ve been watching, pointing out Arthur’s adrift state.

From Los Angeles Times

Is theirs music that ever said “engine for movie about young man who wants to skip college to join circus and falls for young troubadour who paints window frames?”

From New York Times

Related Words

• crooner
• minstrel
• songwriter