A wandering medieval European musician, poet, or entertainer, often clergy or former clergy, known for witty and irreverent performances.
From Old French 'goliard,' possibly derived from the name Goliath, perhaps because these performers were considered 'giants' of entertainment or rebels against authority. The term became common in the 12th-13th centuries.
Goliards were basically the original hip-hop artists—educated rebels who traveled around writing satirical verses, mocking the church and nobility, and performing bawdy songs that would get them in serious trouble if caught by authorities!
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