Definition of SATIRE

satire

Plural: satires

Noun

  • The use of humor, irony, or exaggeration to ridicule or criticize.
  • witty language used to convey insults or scorn; ; ; --Jonathan Swift
    • "Satire is a sort of glass, wherein beholders do generally discover everybody's face but their own"
  • A literary device of writing or art which principally ridicules its subject often as an intended means of provoking or preventing change or highlighting a shortcoming in the work of another. Imitation, humor, irony, and exaggeration are often used to aid this.
  • A satirical work.
  • Severity of remark.

Examples

  • a stinging satire of American politics.
  • His Scrabble play of SATIRE was a witty jab at his opponent’s predictable words.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle French satire, from Old French, from Latin satira, from earlier satura, from lanx satura (“full dish”), from feminine of satur. Altered in Latin by influence of Ancient Greek σάτυρος (sáturos, “satyr”), on the mistaken notion that the form is related to the Greek σατυρικὸν δράμα (saturikòn dráma, “satyr drama”).

Synonyms

caustic remark, irony, sarcasm

Scrabble Score: 6

satire: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
satire: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
satire: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 6

satire: valid Words With Friends Word