roman à clef

[raw-mah na kle]

noun

French.

plural

romans à clef 

1. a novel that represents historical events and characters under the guise of fiction.

roman à clef

/ rɔmɑ̃ a kle /

noun

1. a novel in which real people are depicted under fictitious names

roman à clef

1. A novel in which actual people and places are disguised as fictional characters. Roman à clef is French for “novel with a key.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of roman à clef¹

First recorded in 1880–85; literally “novel with a key,” the key being the connection between the fictional and nonfictional elements of the novel

Word History and Origins

Origin of roman à clef¹

literally: novel with a key