caricature English · revision 2371

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈkæɹɪkəˌtʃʊə/, /ˌkæɹɪkəˈtʃʊə/ ''(UK)''; /ˈkɛɹɪkət͡ʃʊɚ/, /ˈkɛɹɪkət͡ʃɚ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|caricature]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) [[der|it|caricatura|t=satirical picture; an exaggeration]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) literally “a loading, an overloading”,^(MW Collegiate)^(Etymonline) from ''caricare'' “to load; to exaggerate”,^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) [[der|la-lat|carricāre|t=to load (a cart)]],^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995) from Latin ''carrus'' “wagon”,^(AHD)^(Etymonline) itself borrowed from Gaulish.^(AHD) The word is thus related to ''car'', ''cargo'', ''carry'' and ''charge''.^(AHD)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A portrait or other representation that exaggerates the subject's characteristic features for ludicrous effect (1748).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) Merriam-Webster dates the noun to 1712.^(MW Collegiate) The Italian form ''caricatura'' was used in English from the 1680s and was common into the 19th century.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)

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+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A caricature is literally an “overloaded” portrait, one whose features are loaded with exaggeration.^(MW Collegiate)^(Etymonline)^(AHD) The term spread from pictures to literary description (1756) and to any imitation so exaggerated or inferior as to be ludicrous (1767).^(OED 1989)^(RHWU) The verb is dated 1749 by Barnhart and Etymonline, which first used it figuratively, “to burlesque”.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1680s – the Italian form ''caricatura'' in English.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1748 – a portrait exaggerating characteristic features.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1749 – verb, to burlesque.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1756 – of literary representation.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1767 – an exaggerated or debased imitation.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1798 – ''caricaturist''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1827 – the art of caricature.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A picture or description in which a subject's distinctive features or defects are deliberately exaggerated for comic or grotesque effect.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The art or process of making such representations.^(AHD)^(RHWU)

+ # An imitation so distorted or inferior as to seem ludicrous; a travesty.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To represent in caricature; to imitate in an exaggerated, distorted way.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[caricaturist]]

+ * [[caricatural]]

+ * [[caricaturable]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[car]]

+ * [[cargo]]

+ * [[carry]]

+ * [[charge]]

+ * [[burlesque]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The American Heritage Dictionary compares ''caricature'' with ''burlesque'', ''parody'', ''travesty'', ''satire'' and ''lampoon'', all of which imitate someone or something in an amusing and generally critical way.^(AHD) A caricature grossly exaggerates a distinctive feature in order to ridicule;^(AHD) a burlesque is usually a stage work of outlandish mimicry;^(AHD) a parody imitates the style of a well-known work or writer;^(AHD) a travesty is a harshly distorted imitation;^(AHD) a satire ridicules the follies and vices of a people or time;^(AHD) and a lampoon is a malicious but broadly humorous satire.^(AHD)

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+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}