sarcasm

On the hit TV show Friends, the character Chandler Bing can never help himself from being sarcastic. But, maybe he would think twice if he knew the origins of the word sarcasm.

Sarcasm is defined as a “sneering or cutting remark.” Fittingly, the word sarcasm comes from the ancient Greek word sarkázein, which meant “to tear flesh.” That verb became a metaphor for “speaking bitterly.”

While we always hear that sticks and stones can’t break our bones, even the ancient Greeks recognized that sarcasm feels like someone is digging into you.

The roots of these other words may get a rise—of laughter or surprise—out of you. Run on over to our roundup of them at “Weird Word Origins That Will Make Your Family Laugh.”

Many other words derive from the same Greek root as sarcasm, including sarcophagus, a word which literally means “flesh-eating.” Discover the grisly reasons why at our Words That Use sarco- article

Generally speaking, sarcasm is a form of verbal irony, in which a person says or writes one thing and means another, or uses words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of the literal meaning. For this reason, many people sometimes take sarcastic comments at face value. This is especially true online, where it’s harder to convey tone and intention—despite all our emoji and emoticons. Due to the limitations of digital communication, some people will often end a sarcastic remark with “/sarcasm” or “/s” so they don’t get misinterpreted. Sarcasm is commonly used in many kinds of humor, from self-deprecation to satire.