Everyday · Humour & insults · Books & writing
Satire: meaning, pronunciation and examples
Satire noun. Using humour, exaggeration or irony to expose and criticise people's folly or vices.
How to say it
SAT-ire/ˈsatʌɪə/
2 syllables, stressed on the first (SAT).
Satire in a sentence
The show's satire was so sharp that one minister asked for it to be taken off air.
Swift's suggestion that the poor sell their children was satire, not policy.
Similar and opposite
Similar:
Where satire comes from
From Latin satura, a medley, earlier lanx satura, a dish of mixed fruit.
Test yourself
Which word fills the gap?
Swift's suggestion that the poor sell their children was _____, not policy.
- gibe
- satire
- pooh-bah
Show the answer
satire: Swift's suggestion that the poor sell their children was satire, not policy.