DictionaryRoot: Minne
German

Minne

love

1 / 1
In a medieval German hall, a poet-singer strums a small harp and sings tenderly toward a beloved listener while a blank parchment and quill beside him show that he creates lyrics as well as performs them.
noun

minnesinger

MIN-uh-sing-er

A medieval German poet who sang of courtly love.

Etymology

The compound means “love-singer,” identifying these medieval poets by the subject of their lyric verse. They imitated the troubadours, combining the roles of poet and singer.

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