[bal-uh
d] 
| 1. | any light, simple song, esp. one of sentimental or romantic character, having two or more stanzas all sung to the same melody. |
| 2. | a simple narrative poem of folk origin, composed in short stanzas and adapted for singing. |
| 3. | any poem written in similar style. |
| 4. | the music for a ballad. |
| 5. | a sentimental or romantic popular song. |
| bal·lad (bāl'əd) n.
[Middle English balade, poem or song in stanza form, from Old French ballade, from Old Provençal balada, song sung while dancing, from balar, to dance, from Late Latin ballāre, to dance; see ball2.] bal·lad'ic (bə-lād'ĭk, bā-) adj. |
A simple narrative song, or a narrative poem suitable for singing. The ballad usually has a short stanza, such as:
There are twelve months in all the year,
As I hear many men say,
But the merriest month in all the year
Is the merry month of May.
A simple narrative song, or, alternatively, a narrative poem suitable for singing. (See under “Conventions of Written English.”)