A short lyrical poem or narrative poem, especially one from medieval French literature; or a monetary unit in some countries.
From Old French 'lai' or 'lais,' meaning 'lay' or 'song,' possibly from Celtic origins. The literary form was popular in medieval times, particularly among Breton poets, while the currency sense comes from various Asian languages.
Medieval 'lais' were short poems (unlike long epics like Beowulf) that told romantic stories, often about knights and magic—they were basically the medieval world's equivalent of a pop song with a narrative. Marie de France, a 12th-century poet, made the form famous and her work still survives today!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.