spoof

[spoof]

noun

1. a mocking imitation of someone or something, usually light and good-humored; lampoon or parody.

   The show was a spoof of college life.

2. a hoax; prank.

verb (used with object)

1. to mock (something or someone) lightly and good-humoredly; kid.

2. to fool by a hoax; play a trick on, especially one intended to deceive.

3. to trick (electronic devices, as radar), by interrupting or otherwise corrupting data in order to avoid detection.

4. Digital Technology.,  to misrepresent (the identity of a party or the origin of data) in a communication, in order to misdirect digital authentication or other security measures: Suspects spoofed caller ID when they phoned in the anonymous threats.

   Hackers spoofed the IP to fool the network into providing access.

   Suspects spoofed caller ID when they phoned in the anonymous threats.

   The sender’s email address was spoofed to fool the company’s spam filters.

verb (used without object)

1. to scoff at something lightly and good-humoredly; kid.

   The campus paper was always spoofing about the regulations.

spoof

/ spuːf /

noun

1. a mildly satirical mockery or parody; lampoon

   a spoof on party politics

2. a good-humoured deception or trick; prank

verb

1. to indulge in a spoof of (a person or thing)

2. to communicate electronically under a false identity

Other Word Forms

• spoofer noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of spoof¹

First recorded in 1885–90; after a game invented and named by Arthur Roberts (1852–1933), British comedian

Word History and Origins

Origin of spoof¹

C19: coined by A. Roberts (1852–1933), English comedian, to designate a game of his own invention

Example Sentences

In the Ukraine war, Russia is jamming and spoofing—blocking and faking signals—so frequently that satellite navigation isn’t dependable.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Some "shadow" ships are even suspected of undersea sabotage, illicit drone launches or "spoofing" their location data.

Read more on BBC

The scarecrow scenes are klutzy; the reveal of the Tin Man plays like a spoof of Jack Nicholson in “The Shining.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“The Running Man” is co-written and directed by Edgar Wright, who made such excellent comedies as “Hot Fuzz” and “Shaun of the Dead” that combined spoof and homage.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"Using quantum clocks, gyroscopes and magnetometers enables us to create a resilience against jamming and spoofing of our vital navigational systems."

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• burlesque 
• caricature 
• parody 
• prank 
• satire