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Roman à clef: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Roman à clef noun. A novel in which real people and events appear under thin disguise as fiction.
How to say it
roh-mon ah KLAY/rəʊˌmɒ̃ ɑː ˈkleɪ/
4 syllables, stressed on the fourth (KLAY). Forms: romans à clef.
Roman à clef in a sentence
The book was a roman à clef about the newsroom, and everyone recognised the editor.
Her ex insisted the novel was a roman à clef; she said he flattered himself.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
- thinly veiled novel
- fictionalised account
Where roman à clef comes from
French, a novel with a key: the key being the real identities behind the characters.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
Her ex insisted the novel was a _____; she said he flattered himself.
- epigraph
- roman à clef
- muse
Show the answer
roman à clef: Her ex insisted the novel was a roman à clef; she said he flattered himself.