WordValeballad
a narrative poem or song telling a story
In more detail
1. (noun) a poem or song that tells a story, often about love or adventure
2. (noun) a slow, romantic popular song
Examples
- 1. The ancient ballad told of a knight's quest to rescue a princess.
- 2. They danced together while a beautiful ballad played softly in the background.
How to use ballad
A ballad is a narrative composition, typically set to music, that recounts a story in verse. In folk tradition, it often deals with romantic or tragic themes and may be quite old; in popular music, it refers to a slow, emotionally expressive song. The term carries both literary and musical connotations and is used neutrally across these contexts.
Common phrases
- traditional ballad
- ballad form
- folk ballad
- love ballad
- sing a ballad
- ballad singer
Synonyms
narrative poem · song · folk song · lay · ditty
Word family
balladeer (noun) · balladry (noun)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse 'ballad' with 'ballet' (the dance form), or use it too broadly to mean any song without recognizing that true ballads have a narrative or strongly emotional dimension.
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