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Added 10 October 2026

satire

/ˈsætaɪɹ/ noun

Latin root: satira Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about satire at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Witty language used to convey insults or scorn.
he used sarcasm to upset his opponent

Origin

From Middle French satire, from Old French, from Latin satira, from earlier satura, from lanx satura (“full dish”), from feminine of satur. Altered in Latin by influence of Ancient Greek σάτυρος (sáturos, “satyr”), on the mistaken notion that the form is related to the Greek σατυρικὸν δράμα (saturikòn dráma, “satyr drama”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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