Definitions

1. noun

a medieval French poem, typically with four-line stanzas and a refrain, on a serious or romantic subject

“The poet’s ballade told the story of a tragic love affair.”

2. noun

a type of narrative poem that originated in France in the Middle Ages

“The ballade was a popular form of poetry during the Renaissance.”

3. noun

a short narrative poem, typically in quatrains with a refrain

“The ballade was a common form of poetry in 19th-century France.”

4. adjective

relating to or characteristic of a ballade

“The ballade royal was a type of poem popular in 16th-century France.”