burlesque

1 of 2

noun

bur·​lesque (ˌ)bər-ˈlesk How to pronounce burlesque (audio)
1
literature : a literary or dramatic work that seeks to ridicule by means of grotesque exaggeration or comic imitation
a burlesque of Victorian society
2
: mockery usually by caricature
a writer whose burlesque often bordered on cruelty
3
: theatrical entertainment of a broadly humorous often earthy character consisting of short turns (see turn entry 2 sense 4d), comic skits, and sometimes striptease acts
performers who got their start in burlesque
burlesque adjective
burlesquely adverb

burlesque

2 of 2

verb

burlesqued; burlesquing

transitive verb

: to imitate in a humorous or derisive manner : mock
a work burlesquing Sherlock Holmes

intransitive verb

: to employ burlesque
a temptation to burlesque
burlesquer noun
Choose the Right Synonym for burlesque

caricature, burlesque, parody, travesty mean a comic or grotesque imitation.

caricature implies ludicrous exaggeration of the characteristic features of a subject.

caricatures of politicians in cartoons

burlesque implies mockery especially through giving a serious or lofty subject a frivolous treatment.

a nightclub burlesque of a trial in court

parody applies especially to treatment of a trivial or ludicrous subject in the exactly imitated style of a well-known author or work.

a witty parody of a popular novel

travesty implies that the subject remains unchanged but that the style is extravagant or absurd.

this production is a travesty of the opera

Examples of burlesque in a Sentence

Noun The book is a burlesque of Victorian society. a writer whose burlesque often bordered on cruelty Several important 20th-century performers got their start in burlesque. Verb burlesquing the teacher's nervous tic isn't very nice
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Intermittently, elastic-limbed burlesque artists enter to striptease, dance and execute feats of dazzling flexibility. Rebecca Milzoff, Billboard, 29 Feb. 2024 The National Theatre opened as a vaudeville theater and later showed films for a time, before switching to burlesque shows with live music, according to a detailed history of the building on HistoricDetroit.org. Detroit Free Press, 30 Jan. 2024 Both nights feature many of the nation’s elite burlesque dancers. Bill Brownlee, Kansas City Star, 30 Jan. 2024 Von Teese — whose real name is Heather Sweet — used modern graphics to bring burlesque into the 21st century and included a slew of dramatic set pieces. Mark Gray, Peoplemag, 27 Oct. 2023 In the summer of 2023, the tussling between two noted American élites entered the realm of burlesque. Evan Osnos, The New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2024 The result is a burlesque of vanity and ruthlessness, with many readers drawing comparisons to rulers such as Uganda’s Idi Amin and the Central African Republic’s Jean-Bedel Bokassa. Brian Murphy, Washington Post, 3 Dec. 2023 Their melding of dance, circus, striptease, contemporary art, fashion, drag, burlesque struck him as a formula that would work in Las Vegas. Melinda Sheckells, Variety, 3 Nov. 2023 Hawley’s latest legislative burlesque is wholly fake—and threadbare even by his gutter standards. Jason Linkins, The New Republic, 4 Nov. 2023
Verb
Was she indeed named after famed 1930s burlesque dancer Gypsy Rose Lee? Janine Rubenstein, Peoplemag, 7 Jan. 2024 From magic shows to residencies to burlesque and comedy. Ronny Maye, Essence, 3 Nov. 2023 That song doesn’t belong in a film that promotes the era’s social fragmentation and repeats fatuous antagonisms — burlesqued by Melissa McCarthy playing the sea world’s villainous white-witch octopus Ursula. Armond White, National Review, 26 May 2023 The seeming callousness with which the dancers burlesque a fourteen-year-old’s death—the breezy way that the dance turns a killing into a sight gag—induces a shiver. Jody Rosen, The New Yorker, 7 Dec. 2022 Similar to past years, the festival will feature a variety of performances ranging from singers to storytellers, magic to mind reading and belly dancing to burlesque. Kathy Cichon, chicagotribune.com, 27 Aug. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'burlesque.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

burlesque, adjective, comic, droll, from French, from Italian burlesco, from burla joke, from Spanish

First Known Use

Noun

1667, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1676, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of burlesque was in 1667

Dictionary Entries Near burlesque

Cite this Entry

“Burlesque.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/burlesque. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

burlesque

1 of 2 noun
bur·​lesque (ˌ)bər-ˈlesk How to pronounce burlesque (audio)
1
: a written or dramatic work that makes fun of something by making it appear ridiculous
2
: theatrical entertainment consisting of comic skits and dance
burlesque adjective

burlesque

2 of 2 verb
burlesqued; burlesquing
: to mock or make fun of through burlesque

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