noun
ballad
BAL-ud/ˈbæləd/
A song or poem that tells a story.
The singer performs a ballad about a sailor who never returns home.
Etymology
A ballade was originally a song accompanying a dance. The emphasis later shifted from dancing to storytelling in verse, producing the sense of a narrative poem suitable for singing.
In context
in the ballad of sir orpheo the main character has to go rescue his wife from the fairy king who has abducted her
More examples
- The old ballad was passed down through generations.
- She wrote a ballad recounting the town's founding.
- Several traditional ballads tell stories of lost love.
Forms
ballad · ballads
Similar words
- narrative poem
- Tells a story without necessarily being sung or using ballad form.
- song
- May express a mood rather than tell a story.