charlatan

American  

[shahr-luh-tn] / ˈʃɑr lə tn /

noun

1. a person who pretends or claims to have more knowledge or skill than they possess; fraud; quack.

   Synonyms:

   phony, fake, fraud, mountebank, impostor

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charlatan British  

/ ˈʃɑːlətən /

noun

1. someone who professes knowledge or expertise, esp in medicine, that he or she does not have; quack

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Other Word Forms

• charlatanic adjective
• charlatanical adjective
• charlatanically adverb
• charlatanish adjective
• charlatanism noun
• charlatanistic adjective

Etymology

Origin of charlatan

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Middle French, from Italian ciarlatano, equivalent to ciarla(tore) “chatterer” (derivative of ciarlare “to chatter”; from imitative root) + (cerre)tano “hawker, quack,” literally, “native of Cerreto, ” a village in Umbria, known for its quacks

Example Sentences

In Renaissance England, skillful surgeons and herb-dispensing healers competed with charlatan doctors.

From The Wall Street Journal

Every few centuries, some charlatan, some crawling, vicious soul, would try to get close to the Glimourie Tree—to steal it, to take it for their own.

From Literature

It seems like the perfect situation for charlatans, since I don’t think there is any one “correct” answer.

From MarketWatch

The magician Ricky Jay’s compendium of actual “unique, eccentric and amazing entertainers” offers a parade of con artists, charlatans, escapologists, daredevils, mesmerists, contortionists and sideshow acts.

From The Wall Street Journal

And though it’s much easier now to find books and other media taking a range of perspectives on menopause, it’s also easy to be waylaid by influencers, charlatans and factionalism.

From Salon

Related Words

• con artist