charade etymology

Etymology:

• From French charade, from Late Latin carratum, meaning "a cartload of wood," from Greek karrēton, diminutive of karros, meaning "cart."

Meaning:

A riddle in which the answer is a word or phrase expressed by a sequence of verbal hints that describe its parts or characteristics.

Origin:

• The earliest known use of the term "charade" in English was in 1649.
• The word was originally used to describe a riddle that consisted of two parts: a tableau (a scene) and a riddle or question.
• The tableau represented the answer to the riddle, and the riddle was used to guide the audience to the answer.
• Over time, the tableau became less common and the charade evolved into a purely verbal riddle.

Examples:

• My first is a lesson, my second is a do, and my third is a sign of music. What am I? (Answer: Les-son)
• I have a head, a body, and four legs, but I can't walk or talk. What am I? (Answer: A bed)
• I am always hungry, and I must always be fed. The finger I touch will quickly turn red. What am I? (Answer: Fire)

charade relate terms

• masquerade

  Etymology The word masquerade derives from the Spanish term mascarada which emerged

• put on

  Etymology The word put on is a phrasal verb that has multiple meanings The etymology o

• word

  Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their development through history It in

• send up

  Etymology Prefix send from Old English sendan meaning to send dispatch Suffix up

• parody

  Etymology Parodia Latin imitation or parody From parodē Greek parody satire

• lampoon

  Etymology The word lampoon derives from the French word lampon which means a satiric

• takeoff

  Etymology of Takeoff Takeoff is a compound word derived from two Old English words

• burlesque

  Etymology The word burlesque is derived from the Italian word burlesco which in tur

• caricature

  Etymology The word caricature is derived from the Italian word caricare which means

• pasquinade

  Etymology The word pasquinade is derived from the Italian name Pasquino referring t