Home › Glossary › Letter S

Satire

Genre
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A literary genre using irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to critique human folly, vice, or societal flaws with corrective intent.

Detailed Definition
Satire is a poetic mode that uses irony, exaggeration, ridicule, or wit to critique human folly, vice, or societal institutions; from Juvenal to Pope’s “The Rape of the Lock,” satirical poetry blends moral judgment with artistic flair to provoke reflection and reform.
Example
Example in poetry:
Satire: Alexander Pope’s "The Rape of the Lock" mocks aristocratic vanity: "What dire offence from am’rous causes springs, / What mighty contests rise from trivial things!"
Additional Notes
Satire: Poetry that uses irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to critique human folly, vice, or institutions; ranges from Juvenalian (harsh) to Horatian (gentle); often employs parody and caricature.
Also Known As
Mock verse Ridicule poetry Ironic criticism Satirical verse crosántacht mockeries
Skip to main content