roman à clef

ro·man à clef

noun \rō-ˌmä(ⁿ)n-(ˌ)ä-ˈklā\

plural romans à clef\-ˌmäⁿ-(ˌ)zä-\

Definition of ROMAN À CLEF

: a novel in which real persons or actual events figure under disguise

Origin of ROMAN À CLEF

French, literally, novel with a key

First Known Use: 1893

Rhymes with ROMAN À CLEF

African gray, areaway, Armistice Day, Ascension Day, auto-da-fé, bank holiday, beta decay, bioassay, boulevardier, cabriolet, café au lait, cantabile, Cardigan Bay, carry away, cDNA, Chesapeake Bay, chronicle play, communiqué, companionway, corps de ballet, costumier, couturier, décolleté, Delaware Bay, devil to pay, diamanté, Dies Irae, Discovery Day, Dominion Day, Election Day, electric ray, far and away, felo-de-se, fiddle away, Fiesole, Giant's Causeway, habitué, High Holiday, instant replay, Jamaica Bay, Jubilate, Korea Bay, laissez-passer, Lavoisier, medley relay, mezzo forte, microarray, Midsummer Day, miracle play, Morgan le Fay, objet trouvé, off-off-Broadway, out-of-the-way, papier collé, papier-mâché, pas de bourrée, Patriots' Day, photo-essay, Pouilly-Fuissé, Pouilly-Fumé, prêt-à-porter, Presidents' Day, roche moutonnée, Rogation Day, roturier, Saginaw Bay, sine die, sub judice, superhighway, Thanksgiving Day, ukiyo-e, Ulan-Ude, Valentine's Day, Veterans Day, yerba maté