serenade

1 of 2

noun

ser·​e·​nade ˌser-ə-ˈnād How to pronounce serenade (audio)
1
a
: a complimentary vocal or instrumental performance
especially : one given outdoors at night for a woman being courted
b
: a work so performed
2
: an instrumental composition in several movements, written for a small ensemble, and midway between the suite and the symphony in style

serenade

2 of 2

verb

serenaded; serenading

intransitive verb

: to play a serenade

transitive verb

: to perform a serenade in honor of
serenader noun

Examples of serenade in a Sentence

Verb He serenaded her from the garden below her window.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Eventually, Holman summoned everyone to the table and began his spoken word serenade with tales of New York, Kentucky, and Jewish identity. Kristen Bateman, Vogue, 16 Apr. 2025 The Brazilian coastal metropolis has world-famous beaches worth singing serenades about—and many musicians have. Joel Balsam, AFAR Media, 1 Apr. 2025
Verb
In the teaser, Khan serenades Indian actor Vaani Kapoor to the tune of a popular Hindi love song. Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2025 The ad ends with Hardin being serenaded to the famous Chili's Baby Back Ribs jingle. Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for serenade

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French sérénade, from Italian serenata, from sereno clear, calm (of weather), from Latin serenus serene

First Known Use

Noun

1649, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1668, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of serenade was in 1649

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Serenade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/serenade. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

serenade

1 of 2 noun
ser·​e·​nade ˌser-ə-ˈnād How to pronounce serenade (audio)
: music as sung or played outdoors at night for a woman

serenade

2 of 2 verb
serenaded; serenading
: to entertain with or perform a serenade
serenader noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!