madrigal

M3A1D2R1I1G2A1L1
/ˈmæd͡ɹɪɡəl/

noun

A song for a small number of unaccompanied voices; from 13th century Italy.

OriginItalian madrigale ← Latin mātrīcālis →
UncommonScrabble 12
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Meanings

nounmadrigal (plural madrigals)

plural madrigals

  1. entertainmentA song for a small number of unaccompanied voices; from 13th century Italy.
  2. entertainmentA polyphonic song for about six voices, from 16th century Italy.
  3. communicationsA short poem, often pastoral, and suitable to be set to music.

Origin

  1. Latinmātrīcālis
  2. Italianmadrigale
  3. Englishmadrigal

From Italian madrigale, from Latin mātrīcālis.

More words from Italian, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian мадригал
  • мадригал (madrigal)either musical sense
Chinese Cantonese 牧歌
  • 牧歌 (muk⁶ go¹)either musical sense
Chinese Mandarin 牧歌
  • 牧歌 (mùgē)either musical sense
Dutch madrigaal
  • madrigaaleither musical sense
Esperanto madrigalo
  • madrigaloeither musical sense
Finnish madrigaali
  • madrigaalieither musical sense
French madrigal
  • madrigaleither musical sense
German Madrigal
  • Madrigaleither musical sense
Greek μαδριγάλι
  • μαδριγάλι (madrigáli)either musical sense
Hungarian madrigál
  • madrigáleither musical sense
Icelandic madrígal, madrígali
  • madrígaleither musical sense
  • madrígalieither musical sense
Italian madrigale
  • madrigaleeither musical sense
Japanese マドリガル
  • マドリガル (madorigaru)either musical sense
Korean 마드리갈
  • 마드리갈 (madeurigal)either musical sense
Latin madrigalis
  • madrigaliseither musical sense
Lithuanian madrigalas
  • madrigalaseither musical sense
Polish madrygał
  • madrygałeither musical sense
Portuguese madrigal
  • madrigaleither musical sense
Russian мадрига́л
  • мадрига́л (madrigál)either musical sense
Slovak madrigal
  • madrigaleither musical sense
Spanish madrigal
  • madrigaleither musical sense
Swedish madrigal
  • madrigaleither musical sense
Ukrainian мадрига́л
  • мадрига́л (madryhál)either musical sense
Cite this entry
APA

madrigal. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/madrigal

MLA

“madrigal.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/madrigal. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “madrigal,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/madrigal.

Source: madrigal on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.