aubade
Say it: oh-BAHD /əʊˈbɑːd/ · noun
What “aubade” means
A dawn poem or song, often about lovers parting.
More precisely: A poem or song about lovers parting at dawn, or greeting the morning.
Example: “Philip Larkin's 'Aubade' is a dawn poem about fear of death, not love.”
When to use it
In literary or musical discussion of works greeting dawn or describing lovers who must part as morning arrives.
Memory trick
The related word alba means 'dawn': picture lovers saying goodbye at sunrise.
Similar words
dawn song, morning poem
Where it comes from
French, from Spanish albada, from alba 'dawn'.
Quick check
A poem describes two lovers reluctantly saying goodbye as the first sunlight enters their room. What kind of poem is it?
an aubade or a serenade?
Show the answer
an aubade
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