From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishsatiresat‧ire /ˈsætaɪə $ -taɪr/ ●○○ noun 1 [uncountable]MAKE FUN OF a way of criticizing something such as a group of people or a system, in which you deliberately make them seem funny so that people will see their faults the characteristic use of satire in Jonson’s workpolitical/social satire a comedy group that does political satire2 [countable]AL a piece of writing, film, play etc that uses this type of criticismsatire on a satire on American politicssavage/stinging/vicious/biting satire a biting satire of the television industry —satirical /səˈtɪrɪkəl/ adjective a well-known satirical magazine —satiric adjective —satirically /-kli/ adverb
Examples from the Corpus
satire• This bawdy academic satire, with its potentially offensive laddish point of view, turns out to be a traditional romantic narrative.• My services were much in demand, not only for sentimental verses, but for expressions of anger and rather cruel satire.• Euripides' satire on the paranoia of the idealist has always been the cult play of the Attic repertoire.• Stevenson sometimes stumbles too far into academic minutiae and her satire can be flat-footed, but her London is beguiling.• One genre it mostly ignores is satire and humor.• It's not satire exactly, since Hayworth has too kindly an eye for the human condition.• a political satire• This is her first serious novel; up till now she has only written political satires.• Political satire is a tricky thing; it's only as strong as its target.• Ballard's satire, however extreme, is always convincing, because its governing ideas inhabit every detail.• Gelbart is a writer of comedy and social satire.• The film is a stinging satire on American politics.political/social satire• The line between reportage and fiction, between social satire and sentimental snapshots, was blurring.• Mayle, who now divides his time between Long Island and Provence, earns chuckles with his gentle social satire.• This hilariously funny collection of political satire is one of the best Private Eye annuals to date.• Simon Regan, founding editor of political satire magazine Scallywag, has died at the age of 58.Origin satire (1500-1600) French Latin satura, satira, from (lanx) satura “full plate, mixture”, from satur; → SATURATE 