roman à clef
[ raw-mah na kle ]
/ rɔ mɑ na ˈklɛ /
noun, plural ro·mans à clef [raw-mahn za kle] /rɔ mɑ̃ za ˈklɛ/. French.
a novel that represents historical events and characters under the guise of fiction.
Words nearby roman à clef
roman punch,
roman ride,
roman shade,
roman snail,
roman strike,
roman à clef,
roman-fleuve,
romance,
romance languages,
romanes,
romanesque
British Dictionary definitions for roman a clef
roman à clef
/ French (rɔmɑ̃ a kle) /
noun plural romans à clef (rɔmɑ̃ a kle)
a novel in which real people are depicted under fictitious names
Word Origin for roman à clef
literally: novel with a key
Cultural definitions for roman a clef
roman à clef
[ (roh-mahn ah klay) ]
A novel in which actual people and places are disguised as fictional characters. Roman à clef is French for “novel with a key.”