Minstrel

noun

verb

Noun

1. A medieval traveling entertainer who would sing and recite poetry, often to his own musical accompaniment.
2. One of a troupe of entertainers who wore black makeup (blackface) to present a variety show of song, dance and banjo music; now considered racist.

Quotations

• 1885 — Gilbert & Sullivan, The Mikado

  A wandering minstrel I —

  A thing of shreds and patches,

  Of ballads, songs and snatches,