caricature

1. noun

a caricature of the Baldwin brothers

Syn:

cartoon, parody, satire, lampoon, burlesque; informal sendup, takeoff

2. verb

she has turned to caricaturing her fellow actors

Syn:

parody, satirize, lampoon, make fun of, burlesque, mimic; informal send up, take off

••

caricature, burlesque, lampoon, mimicry, parody, travesty

Skilled writers and artists who want to poke fun at someone or something have a number of weapons at their disposal. An artist might come up with a caricature, which is a drawing or written piece that exaggerates its subject's distinguishing features or peculiarities (the cartoonist's caricature of the presidential candidate). A parody is similar to a caricature in purpose, but is used of written work, or performances that ridicule an author or performer's work by imitating its language and style for comic effect (a parody of the scene between Romeo and Juliet). While a parody concentrates on distorting the content of the original work, a travesty retains the subject matter but imitates the style in a grotesque or absurd way (their version of the Greek tragedy was a travesty). A lampoon is a strongly satirical piece of writing that attacks or ridicules an individual or an institution; it is more commonly used as a verb (to lampoon the government in a local newspaper). While a caricature, a parody, and a travesty must have an original to imitate, a burlesque can be an independent creation or composition; it is a comic or satiric imitation, often a theatrical one, that treats a serious subject lightly or a trivial subject with mock seriousness (the play was a burlesque of Homer's great epic). Mimicry is something you don't have to be an artist, a writer, or an actor to be good at. Anyone who successfully imitates another person's speech or gestures is a good mimic or impressionist, whether the intent is playful or mocking (he showed an early talent for mimicry; entertaining his parents with imitations of their friends).