English Satire Vocabulary
Epigram
A brief saying or remark that expresses an idea in a clever or humorous manner
Caricature
A picture of someone which exaggerates their distinctive feature to evoke humor and make them seem cartoonish
Reversal
Doing what is opposite of the norm
Hyperbole
Exaggeration that is meant to be a joke and not taken seriously
Self-deprecating
Extremely critical of yourself. Undervaluing yourself
Connotation
Feeling that goes along with its original meaning-metaphorical writing Ex: In the US Nazism had a negative connotation
Invective
Insulting language used to show one's hate towards others for satirical purposes
Juvenalian Satire
Irony that involves bitter and pessimistic criticism; uses personal angles to produce anger in the reader
Denotation
Literal meaning of a word or phrase
Sardonic
Mocking someone in a cynical matter
Parody
Overly made fun of
Tongue-in-cheek
Saying something without really meaning it saying something in a sarcastic manner
Urbane
Sophisticated, well dressed, polite, well-mannered
Paradox
Statement that goes against itself wit both statements being true but cannot be true at the same time
Litotes
Statement where instead of something being claimed directly, the denial of the opposite is said Ex: You won't be sorry
Ridicule
Teasing, mockery, sarcasm, to make fun of in an unkind matter
Incongruity
The idea that something is inappropriate in a certain setting or situation
Wit
The quick ability to use words and ideas in a unique, humorous way; also known as clever humor
Lampoon
To expose someone publicly by using satire, irony, or ridicule
Mocking
To ridicule, to make fun of, to mimic, to make fun of with the intention to hurt them
Farce
Using funny and foolish comedy usually rude characterization of situations that are highly improbable
Facetious
Using humor to talk about a serious issue
Sarcasm
Using irony to mock or ridicule; to sneer or scoff
Horatian Satire
When a character makes a clever comment that criticizes someone or something for a chuckle
Allusion
When an author makes an indirect reference to a well known figure or even in speech, text, or song
Verbal Irony
When someone says something that goes against how they are actually feeling. Using sarcasm while talking Ex: Soft like a brick
Understatement
When someone says something that makes an event seem smaller or less important than it actually is
Dramatic Irony
When the audience knows something about a situation that the characters do not Ex: In Romeo and Juliet, Romeo thinks Juliet is dead, so he kills himself, but the audience knows that Juliet is not actually dead
Situational Irony
When there is a difference between expectations of how something is supposed to happen, and how it really happens