What does "ballad" mean?

1. (slow romantic song) a slow, emotional song, usually about love. 2. (narrative poem) a poem or song that tells a story in short sections.

ballad — meaning, definition & examples

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Music

n. a slow, emotional song, usually about love.

n. a slow, sentimental popular song, typically focusing on romantic or emotional themes.

“The singer performed a beautiful ballad that made many people in the audience cry.”

“The album features several high-energy tracks, but it concludes with a hauntingly beautiful piano ballad about lost love.”

Synonyms

love songslow song

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Music Literary

n. a poem or song that tells a story in short sections.

n. a narrative poem, often of folk origin and intended to be sung, consisting of simple stanzas and usually having a refrain.

“The teacher asked us to write a ballad about a famous historical event.”

“The collection includes traditional Scottish ballads that have been passed down through oral tradition for centuries.”

Synonyms

narrative poemfolk song

“Her French-language ballads are regularly the most requested songs at karaoke venues.”

The Guardian 11 Sept 2026

“Few artists do a big old ballad climax quite like Dion – and Because You Loved Me is the perfect example.”

The Guardian 10 Sept 2026

From French ballade, from Old Occitan ballada (“poem for a dance”), from Late Latin ballare. Doublet of ballade.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Poetry

englishreference.com/q/ballad