troubadour
Americannoun
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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.
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any wandering singer or minstrel.
noun
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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
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a singer
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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."
Vocabulary lists containing troubadour
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
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Medieval Europe - Introductory
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The Boys in the Boat
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
We’d be hanging out at the Troubadour, and suddenly there would be a party.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026
The former teen-pop idol recently teased his headlining appearance with stripped-down gigs at the Roxy and the Troubadour in which he performed only material from last year’s “Swag” and “Swag II” albums.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
The 78-year-old rock star will auction off nearly 800 belongings in a two-day event this week at the Troubadour.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 2, 2026
Troubadour, which operates venues in Wembley Park and Canary Wharf, said the new development would further expand the capital's cultural landscape and "deliver unforgettable experiences for audiences for years to come".
From BBC • Feb. 3, 2026
He felt that he had exhausted the "Troubadour" on the previous occasion.
From Rodman the Keeper Southern Sketches by Woolson, Constance Fenimore
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
