Make Your Point > Archived Issues > PICARESQUE
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connect this word to others:
We got the word picaresque from picaro, a Spanish word meaning "a rogue"--in other words, a rascal, a scamp, a swindler, a misc___nt (a villain, a criminal, or anyone who behaves badly), a raps____ion (a dishonest or playfully mischievous person).
Even though picaro and picaresque appear to be unrelated to Picardy, the region of France where Picards are from, I hope you'll agree that Star Trek's Jean-Luc Picard has the perfect name: he's the captain who explored strange new worlds, sought out new life and new civilizations, boldly went where no one has gone before, and in the process routinely violated the Prime Directive. What a fabulous picaro.
Anyway, picaresco or picaresque tales are those that involve rogues like Captain Picard: daring heroes and their grand adventures. If you've read Robinson Crusoe, you've read picaresque fiction.
If you haven't read Robinson Crusoe, I'll sum it up for you: adventure, shipwreck, pirates, survival, prisoners, cannibals, mutineers, fabulous wealth, and wolves.
Picaresque tales are wild fun but also good satire. And speaking of good satire, see if you can recall a word that also comes from Spanish and means "foolishly idealistic, like the title character of a satirical novel from 1605." It starts with Q: qu______.
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
make your point with...
"PICARESQUE"
Something picaresque has or involves roguish heroes and/or grand adventures.
And, more loosely, something picaresque reminds you of a roguish hero or a grand adventure story--or seems fitting for a roguish hero or a grand adventure story.
And sometimes, something picaresque just involves a lifestyle of traveling from place to place.
Pronunciation:
PICK uh RESK
Part of speech:
Adjective: "his picaresque allure," "a picaresque journey."
Other forms:
"Picaresque" is also a noun, usually the countable kind, meaning "a picaresque adventure, either real or fictional." Its plural is "picaresques."
You can also use "picaresque" as an uncountable noun to talk about "the picaresque," meaning "things in general that have, evoke, or seem fitting for roguish heroes and grand adventure stories," like this: "His life story carries a whiff of the picaresque."
How to use it:
Use this fun, dramatic adjective to talk about all kinds of fictional and real-life people, events, histories, and narratives.
You might talk about picaresque heroes, heroines, rogues, or scoundrels; picaresque tales, stories, epics, novels, narratives, chronicles, or movies; a picaresque style, flair, tone, grandeur, excitement, or tradition; picaresque scenes, action, journeys, voyages, exploits, or adventures, etc.
Or, talk about someone with picaresque charm, manners, charisma, etc.
Or, talk about a picaresque life, lifestyle, or existence. Feel free to get figurative: "IKEA furniture is simply not destined to a picaresque life. Where you build it, there it stays."
examples:
It's probably our favorite movie: the overblown, picaresque, and infinitely rewatchable The Princess Bride.
"He likes a culinary picaresque, and often takes the kids. They have accompanied him on hot-dog, hot-chocolate, and gelato sprees. The day he decided to find the city's best espresso..."
— Dana Goodyear, The New Yorker, 1 November 2009
has this page helped you understand "picaresque"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "picaresque" without saying "like an anti-hero" or "dashing and daring."
try it out:
Fill in the blanks: "It's (some aspect or element) that give(s) _____ (his, her, or its) picaresque swagger."
Concrete example: "It's that fluffy feather in his hat that gives Puss his picaresque swagger."
Abstract example: "It's the fast pacing, the lickety-split switches from scene to scene and town to town, that give the story its picaresque swagger."
before you review, play:
Spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—let your working memory empty out first.
Quintessential TV Quotes!
Each day, match the given vocabulary word to the quote that best illustrates it.
From the previous issue:
From Modern Family, which quote below illustrates something officious?
Quote A:
Phil: Act like a parent, talk like a peer. I call it "peerenting."
Quote B:
Gloria: Jay, what are you wearing? You can't go to church like that.
Jay: Well, that settles it then. I'm going golfing.
Quote C:
Claire: You think I smother our children?
Phil: It's not your fault, honey; "mother" is part of the word. You ever hear of anyone being sfathered to death?
Answer: In quote C, Phil assures Claire that mothering is naturally officious.
Try this one today:
From Friends, which quote below illustrates offal?
Quote A:
Ross: And you had rambled on for eighteen pages. FRONT AND BACK! And by the way, Y-O-U-apostrophe-R-E means "you are". Y-O-U-R means "your"!
Quote B:
Ross: You know how you throw your jacket on a chair at the end of the day? Well, like that, only, instead of a chair, it's a pile of garbage. And instead of a jacket, it's a pile of garbage. And instead of the end of the day, it's the end of time and garbage is all that has survived!
Quote C:
Ross: Monica categorizes her towels. How many categories are there?
Joey: [thinking] Everyday Use.
Chandler: Fancy.
Joey: Guest.
Chandler: Fancy Guest.
Joey: Uh... Eleven?
Ross: [clicking time] Eleven. Unbelievable. Eleven is correct.
review this word:
1. The opposite of PICARESQUE is
A. PERFECT.
B. HOMESPUN.
C. INDISCRIMINATE.
2. To develop his picaresque character for the film, Johnny Depp researched _____ and recognized their similarity to _____.
A. hatters .. librarians
B. pirates .. rock stars
C. wolves .. house pets
a final word:
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From Liesl's blog:
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
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Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
We got the word picaresque from picaro, a Spanish word meaning "a rogue"--in other words, a rascal, a scamp, a swindler, a misc___nt (a villain, a criminal, or anyone who behaves badly), a raps____ion (a dishonest or playfully mischievous person).
"PICARESQUE" Something picaresque has or involves roguish heroes and/or grand adventures.
It's probably our favorite movie: the overblown, picaresque, and infinitely rewatchable The Princess Bride.
Explain the meaning of "picaresque" without saying "like an anti-hero" or "dashing and daring."
Fill in the blanks: "It's (some aspect or element) that give(s) _____ (his, her, or its) picaresque swagger."
Spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—let your working memory empty out first.
1. The opposite of PICARESQUE is
|