minstrel
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minstrel
- /ˈmɪnstɹ(ə)l/ US, UK
Where it comes from
The noun is derived from Middle English minstral, menestrel (“actor; juggler; mime; musician; singer; storyteller; (military) soldier playing a horn or trumpet as a signal”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman menestrel [and other forms] and Old French menestrel (“artisan; servant; itinerant musician or poet; worker”) [and other forms] (modern French ménestrel (“minstrel”)), from Late Latin ministerialis (“official or retainer owing household and military service to a feudal lord, a ministerial or ministerialis”), from Latin ministerium (“employment, ministration; office of a minister, ministry; action or attendance by an inferior person such as a slave, service”) + -ālis (suffix forming adjectives). Ministerium is derived from minister (“accomplice; agent; aide; attendant; servant; waiter”) (probably ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *mey-n- (“little, small”) + *-yōs (“-er”, comparative suffix) + *-teros (contrastive or oppositional suffix forming adjectives)) + -ium (suffix forming abstract nouns). Doublet of ministerial and ministerialis.
The verb is derived from the noun.
noun minstrels
-
Originally, an entertainer employed to juggle, play music, sing, tell stories, etc.; a buffoon, a fool, a jester; later, a medieval (especially travelling) entertainer who would recite and sing poetry, often to their own musical accompaniment.
I forgette to tel you what a ſtirre he keepes againſt dumbe ministers, and neuer writes nor talkes of them, but hee calleth them minſtrels, […]
Similar: bard, jongleur, troubadour
- Any lyric poet, musician, or singer. One flame-winged brought a white-winged harp-player / Even where my lady and I lay all alone; / Saying: "Behold, this minstrel is unknown; / Bid him depart, for I am minstrel here: / Only my strains are to Love's dear ones dear."
- One of a troupe of entertainers, often a white person who wore black makeup (blackface), to present a so-called minstrel show, being a variety show of banjo music, dance, and song (now regarded as racist). After tea it was the entertainment. Songs and conjuring and a play called "Box and Cox," very amusing, and a lot of throwing things about in it—bacon and chops and things—and nigger minstrels. We clapped till our hands were sore.
- An amphetamine tablet, typically black, or black and white, in colour. These include dexamphetamine ( Dexedrine 'dexies ' or 'oranges'), methylamphetamine (Methedrine—'speed'), dexamphetamine combined with amylobarbitone (Drinamyl—'purple hearts' or 'blues'), amphetamine combined with dexamphetamine (Anorexine 12.5 mg - black and white minstrels' and Anorexine 20 mg—'b
verb minstrels · minstreling · minstrelling · minstreled · minstrelled
- To play (a tune on a musical instrument); to sing (a song). Blest be the impulse which did urge me forth, / Minstrelling winds with music, which did melt / Into kind ears like softly opening showers, / To those who asked if beggar wanted bread.
- To act as a minstrel; to entertain by playing a musical instrument, singing, etc. Crown me, therefore,—and minstrelling near to thy fanes, Bacchus, thickly-adorned with rosy chaplets will I dance with a full-bosomed maid.
Translations
Every language
noun medieval (especially travelling) entertainer who would recite and sing poetry, often to their own musical accompaniment
| Español | ministril, juglar |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 민스트럴 minseuteureol, 음유시인 eumyusiin |
| 日本語 | ミンストレル minsutoreru, 吟遊詩人 gin'yū shijin |
| 中文 | 吟遊詩人 /吟游诗人 yínyóu shīrén |
| Português | menestrel, jogral |
| Français | ménestrel, ménétrier |
| Deutsch | Minnesänger, Spielmann, Troubadour |
| Italiano | menestrello |
| Ελληνικά | μενεστρέλος menestrélos |
| Română | menestrel |
| Русский | менестре́ль menestrélʹ |
Talk about this word "minstrel." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/minstrel. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. minstrel. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/minstrel "minstrel." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/minstrel.Cite this
@misc{minstrel_2026,
title = {minstrel},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/minstrel},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
