travesty

[ trav-uh-stee ]
/ ˈtræv ə sti /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR travesty ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural trav·es·ties.

a grotesque or debased likeness or imitation: a travesty of justice.
a literary or artistic burlesque of a serious work or subject, characterized by grotesque or ludicrous incongruity of style, treatment, or subject matter.
a literary or artistic composition so inferior in quality as to be merely a grotesque imitation of its model.

verb (used with object), trav·es·tied, trav·es·ty·ing.

to make a travesty on; turn (a serious work or subject) to ridicule by burlesquing.
to imitate grotesquely or absurdly.

Origin of travesty

1655–65; < French travesti, past participle of travestir “to disguise” < Italian travestire, equivalent to tra- (< Latin trāns- trans-) + vestire “to clothe” < Latin vestīre; see vest

synonym study for travesty

2. See burlesque.

OTHER WORDS FROM travesty

un·trav·es·tied, adjective

Words nearby travesty

traverse, traverse city, traverse jury, traverse rod, travertine, travesty, travis, travois, travolator, trawl, trawler

Words related to travesty

exaggeration, farce, mockery, perversion, satire, distortion, burlesque, sham, play, caricature, lampoon, roast, takeoff, put-on, mimicry, mock, parody, imitate, satirize, distort

Example sentences from the Web for travesty

British Dictionary definitions for travesty

travesty
/ (ˈtrævɪstɪ) /

noun plural -ties

a farcical or grotesque imitation; mockery; parody

verb -ties, -tying or -tied

(tr) to make or be a travesty of

Word Origin for travesty

C17: from French travesti disguised, from travestir to disguise, from Italian travestire, from tra- trans- + vestire to clothe