a type of folk song devised by Black Americans at the beginning of the 20th century, usually employing a basic 12-bar chorus, the tonic, subdominant, and dominant chords, frequent minor intervals, and blue notes
Derived forms
bluesy (ˈbluesy)
adjective
Blues in British English
(bluːz)
plural noun
the Blues
blues in American English
(bluz)
US
plural noun
1. Informal
a depressed, unhappy feeling
used with the
2.
black folk music characterized by minor harmonies, typically slow tempo, and melancholy words
often used with the
3.
the form of jazz that evolved from this
often used with the
4.
a song or composition in this style
Word origin
short for blue devils
Examples of 'blues' in a sentence
blues
The Oak had showcased all kinds of bands, new bands, blues bands, young bands, bad bands.
Sue Welfare FALLEN WOMEN (2002)
The passages were marble and the walls tiled in delicate blues and whites.
Holt, Victoria THE ROAD TO PARADISE ISLAND (2002)
He missed going through Memphis, opened his eyes to see they were in the country going south, blues coming out of the speakers.
Elmore Leonard TISHOMINGO BLUES (2002)
In other languages
blues
British English: blues /bluːz/ NOUN
The blues is a type of music which was developed by African-American musicians in the southern United States. It is characterized by a slow tempo and a strong rhythm.
His singing really does have the depth and the emotional range of the blues.
American English: blues
Arabic: بلوز
Brazilian Portuguese: blues
Chinese: 蓝调音乐
Croatian: blues
Czech: blues
Danish: blues
Dutch: blues
European Spanish: blues
Finnish: blues-musiikki
French: blues
German: Blues
Greek: μπλουζ
Italian: blues
Japanese: ブルース
Korean: 블루스
Norwegian: blues
Polish: blues
European Portuguese: melancolia
Romanian: blues
Russian: блюз
Latin American Spanish: blues
Swedish: blues
Thai: เพลงช้าที่มีจังหวะหนัก
Turkish: melankoli
Ukrainian: блюз
Vietnamese: nhạc blues
All related terms of 'blues'
blue
Something that is blue is the colour of the sky on a sunny day.
bluest
any of a group of colours, such as that of a clear unclouded sky , that have wavelengths in the range 490–445 nanometres . Blue is the complementary colour of yellow and with red and green forms a set of primary colours
blueline
a blue-toned photographic print used as a proof for platemaking
the Blues
the Royal Horse Guards
baby blues
depression suffered after childbirth
blues band
a band that plays the blues
city blues
an extrovert and rhythmic style of blues, usually accompanied by a band
Delta blues
a style of blues originating in the Mississippi Delta , typically featuring slide guitar and harmonica
swamp blues
a style of slow blues originating in Louisiana
urban blues
an extrovert and rhythmic style of blues, usually accompanied by a band
blues guitar
blues guitar music
classic blues
a type of city blues performed by a female singer accompanied by a small group
country blues
acoustic folk blues with a guitar accompaniment
midterm blues
the tendency of electorate to grow disillusioned with government around halfway through its term of office
winter blues
a feeling of depression or deep unhappiness associated with experiencing the cold and darkness of winter
rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues is a style of popular music developed in the 1940's from blues music, but using electrically amplified instruments . The abbreviation → R&B is also used.
baby-blue
in a pastel shade of blue
bice blue
a medium blue colour; azurite
half-blue
(at Oxford and Cambridge universities) a person who substitutes for a full blue or who represents the university in a minor sport
ice blue
Ice-blue is a very pale blue colour.
navy blue
a dark blue colour
Nile blue
a pale greenish-blue colour
saxe blue
a light greyish-blue colour
sky blue
Something that is sky-blue is a very pale blue in colour.
true blue
If you describe someone as true-blue , you mean that they are right-wing in their ideas and opinions .
china blue
a bright greenish blue
Delft blue
the blue colour of Delft ceramics
royal blue
Something that is royal blue is deep blue in colour.
Saxon blue
a dye made by dissolving indigo in a solution of sulphuric acid
slate-blue
of a dark greyish-blue colour
steel blue
a dark bluish-grey colour
steely blue
a dark bluish-grey colour
cobalt blue
any greenish-blue pigment containing cobalt aluminate , usually made by heating cobaltous sulphate , aluminium oxide , and phosphoric acid together
Danish blue
a strong-tasting white cheese with blue veins
Danish blue cheese
a strong-tasting white cheese with blue veins
gentian blue
a purplish-blue colour
indigo blue
→ indigotin
Oxford blue
a dark blue colour
peacock blue
Something that is peacock blue is a deep , bright , greeny-blue in colour.
powder blue
Something that is powder blue is a pale greyish-blue colour.
Thénard's blue
any greenish-blue pigment containing cobalt aluminate , usually made by heating cobaltous sulphate , aluminium oxide , and phosphoric acid together
trypan blue
dye used for staining cells in biological research
boys in blue
→ the boys in blue
Cambridge blue
a lightish blue colour
cerulean blue
a light-blue to strong greenish-blue color
Copenhagen blue
a greyish-blue colour
cornflower blue
a deep vivid blue, like that of the typical blooms of a cornflower
electric blue
Something that is electric blue is very bright blue in colour.
methylene blue
a dark-green crystalline compound forming a blue aqueous solution , used as a mild antiseptic and biological stain . Formula: C 16 H 18 N 3 SCl.3H 2 O
methylthionine chloride
a dark-green crystalline compound forming a blue aqueous solution , used as a mild antiseptic and biological stain . Formula: C 16 H 18 N 3 SCl.3H 2 O