Minstrel

Quick meaning: Minstrel is a noun meaning Any lyric poet, musician, or singer.

Meaning

Any lyric poet, musician, or singer.

More Meanings

1. An amphetamine tablet, typically black, or black and white, in colour.
2. (transitive) To play (a tune on a musical instrument); to sing (a song).
3. (intransitive) To act as a minstrel; to entertain by playing a musical instrument, singing, etc.
4. One of a troupe of entertainers, often a white person who wore black makeup (blackface), to present a so-called minstrel show, being a variety show of banjo music, dance, and song (now regarded as racist).
5. (historical) Originally, an entertainer employed to juggle, play music, sing, tell stories, etc.; a buffoon, a fool, a jester; later, a medieval (especially travelling) entertainer who would recite and sing poetry, often to their own musical accompaniment.

Example Sentences

A wandering minstrel I— / A thing of shreds and patches, / Of ballads, songs and snatches, / And dreamy lullaby!

I forgette to tel you what a ſtirre he keepes againſt dumbe ministers, and neuer writes nor talkes of them, but hee calleth them minſtrels, […]

The Minstrel-Boy to the war is gone, / In the ranks of death you'll find him; / His father's sword he has girded on, / And his wild harp slung behind him.

But louder still the clamour grew, / And louder still the minstrels blew, / When, from beneath the greenwood tree, / Rode forth Lord Howard's chivalry; […]

Word Forms

• minstrels
• minstreling
• minstrelling
• minstreled
• minstrelled

Synonyms for minstrel

Depending on context, synonyms include bard, jongleur, troubadour.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include jongleur, troubadour, bard, blackface, fool, minstrelship.

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