noun

minstrel

MIHNSTRL

noun

A traveling medieval entertainer who sang and recited poetry, usually with musical accompaniment.

"A lone minstrel wandered from castle to castle, singing ballads for coins."

"The minstrel's songs kept the old legends alive."

A performer in an old-fashioned "minstrel show," where white performers wore blackface — a format now recognized as deeply racist.

"Minstrel shows were once popular but are now condemned for their racist caricatures."

How to Use Minstrel

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA traveling singer-poet from medieval times — though the word later also named a racist 19th-century stage act you should know about but not use casually.

Common mistake

When talking history, be clear which sense you mean — the romantic troubadour figure or the racist stage tradition; they read very differently in modern usage.

Word Forms

minstreled past tense, minstrelled past tense, minstrels plural, minstrels singular

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

A lone _____ wandered from castle to castle, singing ballads for coins.

Etymology

From Old French menestrel ("entertainer, servant"), tracing back to Latin minister ("servant, attendant") — the same root as "minister."