What does "burlesque" mean?
A derisive art form that mocks by imitation; a parody.
Burlesque
/bə(ɹ)ˈlɛsk/ adj, noun, verb
adj, noun, verb ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A derisive art form that mocks by imitation; a parody.
- Grammar: burlesque is listed as adj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: lampoon, mockery, parody, send-up.
- Useful contrasts: chaste, decorous, earnest.
- Usage evidence: French knickers are allowed in the world of burlesque.
How to use "burlesque"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "burlesque" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "burlesque" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "burlesque" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "burlesque" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "burlesque" is acting as adj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "lampoon" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "burlesque", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A derisive art form that mocks by imitation; a parody. countable, uncountable
"Burlesque is therefore of two kinds; the first represents mean persons in the accoutrements of heroes, the other describes great persons acting and speaking like the basest among the people."
- 2 a composition that imitates or misrepresents somebody's style, usually in a humorous way wordnet
- 3 A variety adult entertainment show, usually including titillation such as striptease, most common from the 1880s to the 1930s. countable, uncountable
- 4 a theatrical entertainment of broad and earthy humor; consists of comic skits and short turns (and sometimes striptease) wordnet
- 5 A ludicrous imitation; a caricature; a travesty; a gross perversion. countable, uncountable
"Who is it that admires, and from the heart is attached to, national representative assemblies, but must turn with horror and disgust from such a profane burlesque and abominable perversion of that sacred institute?"
Verb
- 1 To make a burlesque parody of.
"When the venerable New York Times took my quote in which I described the neon elements as "burlesquing the myth of male dominance" and instead printed "he prefers to describe them as . . . symbols of male dominance" it became clear that dealing with journalists was going to be one long, rocky road."
- 2 make a parody of wordnet
- 3 To ridicule, or to make ludicrous by grotesque representation in action or in language.
"They burlesqued the prophet Jeremiah's words, and turned the expression he used into ridicule."
Adjective
- 1 Parodical; parodic dated
"It is a dispute among the critics, whether burlesque poetry runs best in heroic verse, like that of the Dispensary, or in doggerel, like that of Hudibras."
Adjective
- 1 relating to or characteristic of a burlesque wordnet
Example
"French knickers are allowed in the world of burlesque."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "burlesque"?
Common synonyms include: lampoon, mockery, parody, send-up, spoof, aggrandize.
How do you use "burlesque" in a sentence?
French knickers are allowed in the world of burlesque.
How do you pronounce "burlesque"?
Pronounced /bə(ɹ)ˈlɛsk/.
Etymology
Borrowed from French burlesque, from Italian burlesco (“parodic”).