serenade
UK[ˌserəˈneɪd]US[ˌserəˈneɪd]
n
a piece of music sung or played in the open air at night, typically by a man to a woman he loves.
v
entertain (someone) with a serenade.
Morpheme Breakdown
seren
ade
seren
calm
ade
noun suffix denoting action or result
Etymology
the word 'serenade' entered english in the mid-17th century from french 'sérénade', which came from italian 'serenata'. the italian term is derived from 'sereno', meaning calm or clear (as in weather), which itself traces back to the latin 'serenus'. the conceptual link is that a serenade was originally an evening performance, associated with the calm, clear night air. the suffix '-ata' (becoming '-ade' in french and english) forms nouns of action, thus 'serenata' literally meant "an action pertaining to the evening calm." over time, the meaning specialized to refer specifically to a musical performance, often of a romantic nature, delivered outdoors at night.
Analysis
Structure: seren (calm) + ade (noun suffix denoting action or result)
seren originates from the latin 'serenus', meaning clear, calm, or serene. ade is a suffix of french and italian origin, derived from latin '-ata', used to form nouns indicating an action or its result.
Examples
he played a beautiful guitar serenade beneath her balcony.
the opera includes a famous serenade sung by the tenor.
the young man hired a trio to serenade his fiancée on their anniversary.