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Meistersinger

Meistersinger

1 9.9
A member of a German group of poets and musicians from the 1400s to the 1600s
  • noun
  • /ˈmaɪstərˌzɪŋɡər/
  • Archaic
translation icon : Meistersinger
  • In the 16th century, a talented Meistersinger showcased his skills at a grand festival in Nuremberg.

Examples

  • "I hadn't had a chance to congratulate you, dear Clieous, on your amazing victory in the meistersinger competition.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • The throng swept into the meistersinger's magnificent garden, spreading out with exclamations of wonder.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • "A celebration... surely they would welcome the bard who placed second in the meistersinger contest.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • The best Meistersinger of the time gathered to perform their latest compositions for the city's nobility.

  • During the annual event, a young Meistersinger impressed everyone with his poetic songs about love and nature.

Synonyms

mastersinger
vsMeistersinger
  • Archaic
9.9

A member of a medieval German guild who wrote and performed songs

is active in the fifteenth to seventeenth centuries rather than medieval times

Surface Forms

Meistersinger singular

Morphology

Meistersinger = meister + singer (semi-transparent) = Meister + singer

The components 'meister' (German for 'master') and 'singer' are compositional, but 'meister' is a loanword and the historical guild sense is specialized and may not be obvious to average learners.

Etymology

Meistersinger comes from the German parts Meister ('master') and singer ('singer') and was the name for members of medieval guilds of poets and musicians in cities like Nuremberg who followed strict rules for writing and performing songs. So a Meistersinger was literally a 'master singer' in that musical tradition.