caricature
Americannoun
-
a picture, description, etc., ludicrously exaggerating the peculiarities or defects of persons or things.
His caricature of the mayor in this morning's paper is the best he's ever drawn.
- Synonyms:
- cartoon
-
the art or process of producing such pictures, descriptions, etc.
-
any imitation or copy so distorted or inferior as to be ludicrous.
- Synonyms:
- travesty
verb (used with object)
noun
-
a pictorial, written, or acted representation of a person, which exaggerates his characteristic traits for comic effect
-
a ludicrously inadequate or inaccurate imitation
he is a caricature of a statesman
verb
Related Words
See burlesque.
Other Word Forms
- caricaturable adjective
- caricatural adjective
- caricaturist noun
- self-caricature noun
- semicaricatural adjective
- uncaricatured adjective
Etymology
Origin of caricature
1740–50; earlier caricatura < Italian, equivalent to caricat(o) loaded, i.e., distorted (past participle of caricare; charge ) + -ura -ure
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The duo thinks the Emmy-winning series is a funny “caricature of the industry” — except for, well, one aspect: getting that Kool-Aid movie on track.
From Los Angeles Times
These giant, caricatured figures danced and moved through the ceremony alongside dancers and performers, offering a surreal, almost carnival-like nod to classical music’s place in Italian culture.
From Salon
A caricature of this look hangs permanently at the establishment.
From Los Angeles Times
Make fun of it while remembering that its subject is not a caricature, but someone with extreme power.
From Salon
Instead of leaning into cliché or whitewashing, he radiated dignity, cultural pride and a new kind of Black romantic masculinity—sensual without becoming caricature.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
