German minstrel who competed in singing contests of songs composed according to strict rules formulated by various craftsmen's guilds which offered prizes and status rankings (such as pupil, friend, singer, poet, and master).

Certain 14th-16th century German lyric poets who organised themselves in guilds and composed elaborate verse. They were influenced by the minnesingers.

A Meistersinger (German for "master-singer") was a German lyric poet of the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, who carried on and developed the traditions of the medieval Minnesingers.

See Mastersinger.