charlatan
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
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.
That same day, Charlatan was DQ’d from his victory in the Arkansas Derby.
From Seattle Times • May 3, 2022
Racing officials ruled that the positive test was a result of contamination and the wins of Charlatan and Gamine were restored.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 1, 2021
Mishriff, running the race on the outside, started to gather ground and eventually went by Charlatan with less than 100 yards to go in the race.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2021
In May, Gamine and a colt named Charlatan, who won a division of the Arkansas Derby, tested positive for lidocaine, a numbing agent.
From New York Times • Nov. 5, 2020
Charlatan as he is, and worse, Bellamy is always so attractively amused at the success of his impostures that it becomes impossible to avoid an answering grin.
From Punch or the London Charivari, Vol. 147, October 7, 1914 by Various
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.
