charade

English

Wikipedia

Etymology

From French charade, of disputed origin.

Pronunciation

• (UK) enPR: shəräd", shərād", IPA: /ʃəˈɹɑːd/, /ʃəˈɹeɪd/, X-SAMPA: /S@"r\A:d/, /S@"r\eId/
• (US) enPR: shərād", IPA: /ʃɚˈɹeɪd/, X-SAMPA: /S@"reId/
• Rhymes: -eɪd

Noun

charade (plural charades)

1. A specific kind of riddle in which a word or phrase to find is split in several parts that can each be guessed from a verbal clue.
2. (in plural) A party game in which players mime a word or phrase that the other players must try to guess.
3. Something apparently real but based on pretence/pretense.

   She said she loved me but it was only a charade.

Translations

riddle

• Spanish: charada (es) f

party game — see charades

See also

• See also Wikisaurus:fake
• sham

External links

• charade in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• charade in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• charade at OneLook Dictionary Search

French

Etymology

Probably from Occitan charrado, from charrá (“to chat”).

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ʃaʀad/

Noun

charade f (plural charades)

1. charade (kind of riddle)
2. Something bizarre or hard to understand.

   Cet ouvrage est une vraie charade.

   This book is really hard to understand, to follow.