charade

[ shuh-reyd; especially British shuh-rahd ]
/ ʃəˈreɪd; especially British ʃəˈrɑd /

noun

charades, (used with a singular verb) a game in which the players are typically divided into two teams, members of which take turns at acting out in pantomime a word, phrase, title, etc., which the members of their own team must guess.
a word or phrase acted out in this game.
a blatant pretense or deception, especially something so full of pretense as to be a travesty.

Origin of charade

1770–80; < French < Provençal charrad(o) entertainment, equivalent to charr(á) to chat, chatter (from imitative root) + -ado -ade1

Example sentences from the Web for charades

British Dictionary definitions for charades (1 of 2)

charades
/ (ʃəˈrɑːdz) /

noun

(functioning as singular) a parlour game in which one team acts out each syllable of a word, the other team having to guess the word

Word Origin for charades

C18: from French charade entertainment, from Provençal charrado chat, from charra chatter, of imitative origin

British Dictionary definitions for charades (2 of 2)

charade
/ (ʃəˈrɑːd) /

noun

an episode or act in the game of charades
mainly British an absurd act; travesty