noun
bard
bahd
noun
1
A poet, especially one who composes and performs verse celebrating heroes and great deeds.
"The old bard sang of battles fought long before anyone in the room was born."
"Shakespeare is often called simply "the Bard.""
2
In fantasy games, a character class built around charisma, music, and magic that supports the rest of the party.
"She rolled up a bard so she could buff the party with songs mid-battle."
How to Use Bard
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA poet or singer who tells stories, especially heroic ones, in verse.
Common mistake
Capitalized "the Bard" almost always refers specifically to Shakespeare in English usage.
Common pairings
a wandering bard
the Bard of Avon
play a bard
Word Forms
barded past tense, bards plural, bards plural, bards singular
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The old _____ sang of battles fought long before anyone in the room was born.
Etymology
From Scottish Gaelic bàrd, via Old Irish, ultimately from a Proto-Celtic word for "poet" — related to an ancient root meaning "to praise."