charlatan
Americannoun
noun
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
Explanation
A charlatan is a quack, a person who is trying to deceive you with false claims. Beware of charlatans who try to sell you access to the fountain of youth or to a Ponzi scheme disguised as an exclusive investment fund. A charlatan is one who pretends to possess knowledge he or she lacks. From the 16th century Italian ciarlatano "a quack," the usage of charlatan has not shifted much. Other words for charlatan are impostor, cheat, or pretender. Charlatans are marked by the elaborate schemes they cook up. Russian playwright Anton Chekhov said, "No psychologist should pretend to understand what he does not understand...Only fools and charlatans know everything and understand nothing."
Vocabulary lists containing charlatan
100 SAT words Beginning with "C"
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"Simon's Saga," Vocabulary from Episode 1
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National Spelling Bee '14: Prelims Round 2
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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.
He was, Mr. Keefe writes, “a charlatan who had just declared bankruptcy.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
As portrayed in “Death by Lightning,” Guiteau is a rotten-toothed, scheming, big-dreaming, delusional charlatan and possible sociopath.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 6, 2025
Passing sentence Judge Geoffery Baker QC described Saeed as a "charlatan", who had carried out a deception that had been "cunningly contrived, skilfully executed, and brazenly maintained over three decades".
From BBC • Feb. 23, 2025
Elizabeth Holmes’ blood-testing company was able to stay above water through many months of skeptical reporting, but it all eroded quickly once enough people were clear that the founder was a charlatan.
From Slate • Nov. 8, 2023
He ran a long feature on George Vandeveer, charlatan attorney for the Wobbly defense in the Everett Massacre deliberations.
From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson
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.
