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n. pl. Meistersinger or Meis·ter·sing·ers A member of one of the guilds organized in the principal cities of Germany in the 1300s, 1400s, and 1500s to establish competitive standards for the composition and performance of music and poetry. Also called mastersinger. [German, from Middle High German : meister, master (from Old High German meistar, from Latin magister; see MASTER) + singer, singer (from singen, to sing, from Old High German singan; see sengwh- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).] |
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