caricature

American  

[kar-i-kuh-cher, -choor] / ˈkær ɪ kə tʃər, -ˌtʃʊər /

noun

1. 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

2. the art or process of producing such pictures, descriptions, etc.

3. any imitation or copy so distorted or inferior as to be ludicrous.

   Synonyms:

   travesty

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verb (used with object)

caricatured, caricaturing

1. to make a caricature of; represent in caricature.

caricature British  

/ ˈkærɪkəˌtjʊə /

noun

1. a pictorial, written, or acted representation of a person, which exaggerates his characteristic traits for comic effect

2. a ludicrously inadequate or inaccurate imitation

   he is a caricature of a statesman

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verb

1. (tr) to represent in caricature or produce a caricature of

caricature Cultural  

1. In art or literature, portrayal of an individual or thing that exaggerates and distorts prominent characteristics so as to make them appear ridiculous. Caricature is commonly a medium for satire.

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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

Critics took issue with the book’s uncharitable caricatures of people assumed to be in the author’s life.

From The Wall Street Journal

The exhibition includes examples of his illustrations for the journal Oxford Left, as well as some amusing caricatures of his aristocratic classmates.

From The Wall Street Journal

By being less well known and more difficult to caricature, Talarico is a more attractive candidate.

From Salon

Levitt said that arguments like the one before the Supreme Court are, crucially, not built in relationship with the Voting Rights Act or the Civil Rights Act, but against a “caricature” of those laws.

From Salon

AI-generated caricatures of this demographic have gone viral on social media: a middle-aged man decked out in street wear and clutching an iPhone.

From BBC

Related Words

• cartoon
• farce
• parody
• satire