spoof

[ spoof ]

noun

1. a mocking imitation of someone or something, usually light and good-humored; lampoon or parody:

   The show was a spoof of college life.

2. a hoax; prank.

verb (used with object)

1. to mock (something or someone) lightly and good-humoredly; kid.
2. to fool by a hoax; play a trick on, especially one intended to deceive.
3. to trick (electronic devices, as radar), by interrupting or otherwise corrupting data in order to avoid detection.
4. Digital Technology. to misrepresent (the identity of a party or the origin of data) in a communication, in order to misdirect digital authentication or other security measures: Suspects spoofed caller ID when they phoned in the anonymous threats. Compare phish ( def ).

   Hackers spoofed the IP to fool the network into providing access.

   Suspects spoofed caller ID when they phoned in the anonymous threats.

   The sender’s email address was spoofed to fool the company’s spam filters.

verb (used without object)

1. to scoff at something lightly and good-humoredly; kid:

   The campus paper was always spoofing about the regulations.

spoof

/ spuːf /

noun

1. a mildly satirical mockery or parody; lampoon

   a spoof on party politics

2. a good-humoured deception or trick; prank

verb

1. to indulge in a spoof of (a person or thing)
2. to communicate electronically under a false identity

Derived Forms

• ˈspoofer, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of spoof¹

First recorded in 1885–90; after a game invented and named by Arthur Roberts (1852–1933), British comedian

Word History and Origins

Origin of spoof¹

C19: coined by A. Roberts (1852–1933), English comedian, to designate a game of his own invention

Example Sentences

Rainbow is best known for spoof interviews that blend musical parodies and political satire from a progressive perspective.

From Washington Blade

Rather than going with pure spoof, Truth Seekers will apparently take its horror aspects seriously.

From Ars Technica

Those six years cover the time since “Serial,” the true crime podcast, captured enough mainstream attention to merit a spoof on Saturday Night Live.

From Digiday

The highly anticipated sixth season of the hilarious spy-spoof will premiere on FX at 10 pm EST on January 8, 2015.

From The Daily Beast

To that end, you should be sure to watch Charles spoof Aaron Sorkin, who wrote Sports Night, on Inside Amy Schumer.

From The Daily Beast

But really, these heroes of hilarity past put the oof in “spoof.”

From The Daily Beast

In this hilarious spoof, Schwarzenegger joins fake QVC host Jimmy Fallon to promote two items, a blender and a Slap Chop.

From The Daily Beast

The purpose of a spoof is to attract consumers outside the normal demographic with a comedic, sexualized take on a known brand.

From The Daily Beast

I constructed a "spoof" egg of white enamelled metal, with hinges that opened when a catch was touched.

From Project Gutenberg

Spoof the whole thing again, especially spoofing ourself for having ever taken it seriously.

From Project Gutenberg

Lidar detects shape directly and shape fluctuations such as vibration and motion and has proven very hard to spoof.

From Project Gutenberg

We quit work early that afternoon, hitched the oxen to the wagon, and went down en masse to call on Spoof.

From Project Gutenberg

While we were busy thinking of some appropriate remark Spoof remembered his bundle of papers.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• burlesque
• caricature
• parody
• prank
• satire