serenade

1 of 2

noun

ser·​e·​nade ˌser-ə-ˈnād 

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

Noun

With wonder and with great shame the yodel is an orphaned sound, a sound that turns the serenade toward an addressee that is destined to never hear it. — Literary Hub, 6 July 2026

Stroll around the Artist Quarter, where troubadours serenade passersby in the evenings. — Zanny Merullo, Travel + Leisure, 21 June 2026

Verb

Michelle Branch serenades a live studio audience with music from her upcoming EP, Everywhere and Back Again, on July 14 in Los Angeles. — Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 16 July 2026

After beating Norway 2-1 in extra time of the World Cup quarterfinals on Saturday, the crowd of England fans at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami began serenading their young star, Jude Bellingham, with a rendition of Hey Jude by The Beatles. — Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 15 July 2026

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

Rhymes for serenade

• accolade
• ambuscade
• antegrade
• balustrade
• barricade
• cannonade
• cavalcade
• centigrade
• chambermaid
• colonnade
• countertrade
• disobeyed

Kids Definition

serenade

1 of 2 noun

ser·​e·​nade ˌser-ə-ˈnād 

: 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