roman à clef
a novel that represents historical events and characters under the guise of fiction.
Origin of roman à clef
1Words Nearby roman à clef
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for roman à clef
/ French (rɔmɑ̃ a kle) /
a novel in which real people are depicted under fictitious names
Origin of roman à clef
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Cultural definitions for roman à clef
[ (roh-mahn ah klay) ]
A novel in which actual people and places are disguised as fictional characters. Roman à clef is French for “novel with a key.”
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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