Satirical

How to spell satirical

9 letters · 4 syllables

How to pronounce satirical

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does satirical mean?

1. adjectiveUsing humour, irony, or exaggeration to mock or criticise people, politics, or society.

Satirical in a sentence

• The magazine published a satirical cartoon about the prime minister.

• His satirical column pokes fun at corporate jargon every week.

Where does satirical come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word grows from the noun 'satire', which English took from the Latin satira, an earlier form of satura. In the kitchen of ancient Rome, satura literally meant a 'full dish' or medley, a plate crammed with mixed fruits, and the phrase 'lanx satura' described that overflowing platter. Roman writers borrowed the idea of a mixture to name a literary form that piled up varied targets for mockery, and over time satira came to mean witty writing that ridicules folly and vice. English adopted 'satire' in the 1500s and built the adjective 'satirical' soon after, using the Latin-derived ending -ical. The link back to that 'mixed dish' is a useful memory hook: the spelling keeps the single 't' and the 'i' of satira, so it is sat-i-r-ical, never 'sat-t' or 'sat-y'.

How the word is built

• satir- (from Latin satira: a medley, later mocking verse)
• -ical (adjective suffix)