bard

UK: /ˈbɑː^rd/ US: /bɑrd/ ,(bärd)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

bard¹ /bɑrd/   n. [countable]

1. a poet.

bard² or barde/bɑrd/   n. [countable]  

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

bard¹  (bärd), n. 

1. (formerly) a person who composed and recited epic or heroic poems, often while playing the harp, lyre, or the like.
2. one of an ancient Celtic order of composers and reciters of poetry.
3. any poet.
4. Biographical the bard, William Shakespeare.

• Indo-European * g^wrs-do-s singer, akin to Albanian grisha (I) invited (to a wedding)
• Celtic; compare Irish, Scots Gaelic bard, Welsh bardd, Breton barz
• late Middle English 1400–50

bard′ic, adj. 
bard′ish, bard′like′, adj. 
bard′ship, n. 

bard²  (bärd), n. 

1. Heraldry [Armor.] any of various pieces of defensive armor for a horse.
2. Food [Cookery.] a thin slice of fat or bacon secured to a roast of meat or poultry to prevent its drying out while cooking.

v.t. 

3. Heraldry [Armor.] to caparison with bards.
4. Food [Cookery.] to secure thin slices of fat or bacon to (a roast of meat or poultry) before cooking.

Also, barde (for defs. 1, 3).

• Persian pardah covering
• Arabic barda‘ah packsaddle
• Southern Italian barda armor for a horse
• Middle French barde
• 1470–80

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

bard / bɑːd/ noun

1. (formerly) one of an ancient Celtic order of poets who recited verses about the exploits, often legendary, of their tribes
2. (in modern times) a poet who wins a verse competition at a Welsh eisteddfod

Etymology: 14th Century: from Scottish Gaelic; related to Welsh bardd

ˈbardic adjective

bard, barde / bɑːd/ noun

1. a piece of larding bacon or pork fat placed on game or lean meat during roasting to prevent drying out

verb (transitive)

1. to place a bard on

Etymology: 15th Century: from Old French barde, from Old Italian barda, from Arabic barda`ah packsaddle

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Bard / bɑːd/ noun

1. the Bard ⇒ an epithet of William Shakespeare