caricature
UK[ˈkærɪkətjʊə(r)]US[ˈkærɪkətʃər]
n
A picture, description, or imitation of a person in which certain striking characteristics are exaggerated in order to create a comic or grotesque effect.
v
Make or give a caricature of.
Morpheme Breakdown
caric
ature
caric
overload
ature
noun suffix
Etymology
The word "caricature" entered English in the mid-18th century from Italian caricatura, which itself derived from the verb caricare, meaning "to load, exaggerate." This Italian term traces back to Late Latin carricāre, "to load a cart or vehicle," from carrus, a Celtic-derived Latin word for a wheeled wagon. The semantic journey is vivid: from the literal act of overloading a cart, the meaning shifted metaphorically to the artistic act of overloading or over-emphasizing a person's features. Thus, the modern sense of a portrait that playfully distorts reality for humorous or critical effect retains the core idea of excess and burdensome weight applied to specific traits.
Analysis
Structure: caric (overload) + ature (noun suffix)
- caric: From Italian caricare, meaning "to load, exaggerate," from Late Latin carricāre ("to load a vehicle"), from Latin carrus ("wheeled vehicle").
- ature: A noun-forming suffix, from Latin -ātūra, denoting an action, process, or result.
Examples
The political cartoon was a brilliant caricature of the prime minister, emphasizing his distinctive eyebrows.
She has a talent for caricaturing her professors with just a few quick lines.
His portrayal of the villain was so exaggerated it felt like a caricature rather than a real character.