Ballad
/ˈbæləd/
nounIntermediate📊CommonLiterature
1 meaning2 questions
Definitions
1
A poem or song narrating a story, typically of tragic or romantic events.
/ˈbæləd/
nounneutralIntermediate
Literature
A type of poem or song
The ballad told a tale of a knight and a princess.
💡 Simply: A story song or poem.
More Examples
2
Many traditional ballads have been passed down through generations.
How It's Used
Literary
"He composed a beautiful ballad about lost love."
Music
"The singer performed a traditional folk ballad."
From Old French *ballade, from Old Occitan *balada, from *balar 'to dance'. Originally referring to a dance song, it evolved to encompass narrative poems and songs.
Ballads were a popular form of storytelling for centuries, often circulating orally before being written down.
Memory tip
Think of a 'ball' and a 'lad' dancing to a story song.
Word Origin
LanguageOld French
Original meaning
"to dance"
folk balladlove balladpower ballad
Common misspellings
baladballade
Practice
Usage
20%Spoken
80%Written