AskDefine | Define minstrel

Dictionary Definition



1 a singer of folk songs [syn: folk singer, jongleur, poet-singer, troubadour]
2 a performer in a minstrel show v : celebrate by singing, in the style of minstrels

User Contributed Dictionary




  1. A medieval traveling entertainer who would sing and recite poetry, often to his own musical accompaniment.
  2. One of a troupe of entertainers who wore black makeup (blackface) to present a variety show of song, dance and banjo music; now considered racist.




medieval traveling entertainer

See also

Extensive Definition

For the 19th century American form of music and performance known as minstrelsy, see minstrel show.
For the chocolate sweets sold in the UK, see Minstrels (chocolate)

External links

Owain Phyfe on Myspace, with music and videos
minstrel in German: Ménestrel
minstrel in Modern Greek (1453-): Μενεστρέλοι
minstrel in Finnish: Leikari
minstrel in French: Ménestrel
minstrel in Dutch: Minstreel
minstrel in Japanese: 吟遊詩人
minstrel in Polish: Minstrel
minstrel in Portuguese: Menestrel
minstrel in Russian: Менестрели
minstrel in Simple English: Minstrel

Synonyms, Antonyms and Related Words

Broadway musical, Meistersinger, Parnassian, Singspiel, arch-poet, artist, artiste, ballad maker, ballad opera, ballad singer, balladeer, balladist, balladmonger, ballet, ballet divertissement, bard, beat poet, bucoliast, chorus show, comedy ballet, comic opera, concert artist, dance drama, elegist, epic poet, executant, fili, folk singer, folk-rock singer, gleeman, grand opera, idyllist, imagist, interpreter, jongleur, laureate, librettist, light opera, lyric drama, maestro, major poet, maker, minnesinger, minor poet, minstrel show, minstrelsy, modernist, music drama, music maker, musical, musical comedy, musical stage, musical theater, musician, occasional poet, odist, opera, opera ballet, opera bouffe, opera buffa, operetta, pastoral poet, pastoralist, performer, player, poet, poet laureate, poetress, rhapsode, rhapsodist, satirist, scald, scop, serenader, singer, skald, soloist, song-and-dance act, song-play, sonneteer, street singer, strolling minstrel, symbolist, troubador, troubadour, trouveur, trovatore, tunester, vers libriste, vers-librist, virtuosa, virtuoso, wait, wandering minstrel
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