caricature

caricature — noun

IPA/ˈkærɪkətʃʊə(r)/
KK[kˈɛrəkətʃɚ]IPA/ˈkærɪkətʃər/
  • caricaturesingular
  • caricaturesplural

1. a drawing or description that enlarges someone's most noticeable features until

1.nounC2
Definition

a drawing or description that enlarges someone's most noticeable features until the result seems funny or foolish; also the craft of making work like this

Example

Bao laughed when the fair artist drew his grandfather as a caricature.

draw someone as a caricature

The magazine printed a caricature of the coach with giant ears.

a caricature of someone

Common collocations
  • political caricature
  • draw a caricature
  • a caricature of the mayor
  • grotesque caricature
Synonyms
  • cartoon

    often visual and can be broader or less sharply exaggerated.

  • parody

    usually copies a whole style, performance, or work rather than one face or personality.

  • lampoon

    stronger and more openly attacking, especially in writing or politics.

  • portrayal

    neutral and does not itself suggest comic distortion.

Antonyms
  • portrait

    aims at a faithful likeness instead of comic exaggeration.

  • realistic depiction

    tries to stay close to the subject's actual appearance or character.

Grammar Patterns

a caricature of someone

draw a caricature of someone

become a caricature of yourself

Usage Note

Usually followed by `of` plus the person or subject being exaggerated. With an article it often means one picture or description; without an article it can mean the art form in general.

Common Mistakes

The paper printed a caricature about the minister.
The paper printed a caricature of the minister.
This noun normally takes `of` before the person or thing shown.

caricature — verb

IPA/ˈkær.ɪ.kə.tʃʊər/
KK[kˈɛrəkətʃɚ]IPA/ˈker.ə.kə.tʃʊr/

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

For noun sense 1, caricature focuses on a person or subject whose features are deliberately enlarged or twisted. A portrait aims at likeness, not distortion. A parody usually copies the style of a whole song, speech, film, or performance, while a caricature often zooms in on one face, public image, or set of habits. A lampoon is harsher and more openly attacking, especially in political writing. Satire is broader still: it can criticize society or behavior without using a single exaggerated image. A paper may print a caricature of the mayor, while a comedian performs a parody of the mayor's speech.

portrait ↗parodylampoonsatire

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • draw a caricature of someone
  • become a caricature of yourself
  • caricature someone by enlarging one feature

Prepositions

  • a caricature of someone
  • caricature someone as something

Etymology

Late LatinItalianEnglish

The word entered English through Italian caricatura in the early 1700s. That Italian form came from caricare, meaning "to load" or "to pile on". The history matches the modern meaning: a caricature "loads" extra features onto a face or personality until the result becomes comic.

First known use

1712

1712, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Verb