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Glite Dictionary
🎤 A group of performers 🎶 The art of singing
minstrelsy

minstrelsy

9.9
A group of musicians who travel to perform songs and stories
  • noun
  • /ˈmɪnstrəlzi/
  • Archaic
translation icon : tropa de juglares
  • The local minstrelsy performed at the fair, showcasing their talent for music and dance.

Examples

  • Minstrelsy reached its greatest popularity during the 1860s, when there were more than a hundred shows running.

    Academic text (2014)

  • Minstrelsy had its heyday from 1850 to 1900.

    Academic text (2014)

  • Mathews played this and other kinds of minstrelsy in the United Kingdom for years.

    Academic text (2014)

  • The theater in general, minstrelsy in particular, and Shakespeare specifically furthered democracy in its entertainment.

    Academic text (2014)

  • Entertainment historians Errol Hill and James Hatch describe the appeal of black minstrelsy as touching base with all human emotions.

    Academic text (2014)

  • During the festival, a renowned minstrelsy entertained the crowd with lively songs.

  • The historical exhibition featured a display of minstrelsy, highlighting its role in community entertainment.

Synonyms

choir
vsminstrelsy
153 1.5

A group of singers who perform together often at church

is a group of musical entertainers performing for secular entertainment rather than services
troupe
vsminstrelsy
41 4.4

A group of people who act or dance together

is specifically composed of musical entertainers rather than general performers

How Big

orchestra
184 3.4
minstrelsy
  • Archaic
9.9
ensemble
57 5.3
quartet
30 3.5
trio
18 3.3
duo
75 2.8

Surface Forms

minstrelsy singular
minstrelsies plural

Morphology

minstrelsy = minstrel (semi-transparent) = minstrel + sy

Formed from 'minstrel' with a collective/practice-forming suffix (-y, with a linking -s), but the meaning 'a troupe' is a collective extension that may not be immediately predictable for all learners.

Etymology

Minstrelsy comes from minstrel, a word for a musician or performer who once served in royal houses and villages. It shares the same root as minister, which meant 'servant', so minstrelsy can mean the company or troupe of those performers.