burlesque
Say it: bur-LESK /bəːˈlɛsk/ · noun
What “burlesque” means
Making a serious subject ridiculous through exaggerated comic imitation.
More precisely: A comic exaggeration or mocking imitation of a serious work or subject.
Example: “The sketch was a burlesque of a royal wedding, held entirely in a supermarket car park.”
When to use it
Use it for an exaggerated comic treatment of something grand or serious, especially in literary criticism or theatre.
Similar words
parody, caricature, travesty
Where it comes from
From Italian burlesco, from burla, 'mockery'.
Quick check
A solemn operatic battle becomes a comic performance with washing-up brushes as swords and colanders as crowns. It's…
a reconstruction or a burlesque?
Show the answer
a burlesque
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