noun
- members of German guilds of poets and musicians in the 14th to 16th centuries who composed and performed songs according to strict rules
Usage: historical
Examples
- The mastersingers of Nuremberg were famous for their elaborate musical competitions.
- Wagner’s opera depicts the world of the medieval mastersingers.
- These mastersingers followed complex rules for composing their verses.
- The guild of mastersingers preserved German musical traditions.
- Hans Sachs was one of the most celebrated mastersingers of his time.
- The mastersingers’ competitions attracted audiences from across the region.