satire

[sat-ahy^uhr]

noun

1. the use of irony, sarcasm, ridicule, or the like, to expose, denounce, or deride the folly or corruption of institutions, people, or social structures.

   The success of the production stems from its balance of affectionate comedy and well-observed satire.

2. a work of art, literature, or entertainment in which the folly and corruption of human beings, institutions, or social structures are exposed, denounced, or ridiculed.

   The skit offended only those who didn’t recognize it as a political satire.

   Did you notice that all the novels on her bookshelf were satires?

   Synonyms: travesty, parody, caricature, burlesque

3. a genre of literature, art, or entertainment comprising such works.

   The eighteenth century is considered British literature’s golden age of satire.

   Synonyms: travesty, parody, caricature, burlesque

satire

/ ˈsætaɪə /

noun

1. a novel, play, entertainment, etc, in which topical issues, folly, or evil are held up to scorn by means of ridicule and irony

2. the genre constituted by such works

3. the use of ridicule, irony, etc, to create such an effect

satire

1. A work of literature that mocks social conventions, another work of art, or anything its author thinks ridiculous. Gulliver's Travels, by Jonathan Swift, is a satire of eighteenth-century British society.

Other Word Forms

• nonsatire noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of satire¹

First recorded in 1500–10; from Latin satira, variant of satura “medley,” perhaps feminine derivative of satur “sated” ( saturate )

Word History and Origins

Origin of satire¹

C16: from Latin satira a mixture, from satur sated, from satis enough

Synonym Study

See irony ¹. Satire, lampoon refer to literary forms in which vices or follies are ridiculed. Satire, the general term, often emphasizes the weakness more than the weak person, and usually implies moral judgment and corrective purpose: Swift's satire of human pettiness and bestiality. Lampoon refers to a form of satire, often political or personal, characterized by the malice or virulence of its attack: lampoons of the leading political figures.

Example Sentences

Battered by this constant deluge of information, audiences have lost their ability to appreciate not only the art of satire, but its efficacy.

From Salon

Shared exclusively with the BBC, they show Bowie's fascination with the development of art and satire in 18th Century London, alongside stories of criminal gangs and the notorious thief "Honest" Jack Sheppard.

From BBC

I’ll get to the rest of the series in a minute, but how did the satire about a contracting newsroom strike you, Robert?

From Los Angeles Times

From the TV broadcaster fights of “Anchorman” to the gross-out satire “Borat” and the drunken escapades of “The Hangover,” comedies were a mainstay at the box office.

From Los Angeles Times

Today, King’s grim satire doesn’t seem quite as far-fetched, so Wright’s challenge will be making sure his update still packs a wallop.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• banter 
• caricature 
• irony 
• mockery 
• parody 
• sarcasm 
• skit 
• spoof 
• wit