The spelling of the word "burlesque" can be somewhat confusing due to its pronunciation. It is spelled /bərˈlɛsk/, with the accent on the second syllable. The "le" in the middle of the word is pronounced as "l" and "e" separately. The "sque" ending sounds like "sk." Burlesque refers to a form of entertainment that is comedic and often involves parody or satire. It has its roots in the 19th century and continues to be popular today in various forms of performance and art.
Burlesque is a form of entertainment, typically performed on a stage, that combines elements of humor, parody, and satire. It emerged in the 19th century as a popular genre of theatrical performance characterized by its exaggerated, comical representation of serious or elevated subjects. The term "burlesque" can be used both as a noun to describe an individual performance or show, as well as an adjective to describe a particular style or approach.
As a noun, burlesque refers to a theatrical performance that features a combination of comedy, music, dance, and sometimes even striptease, all aimed at amusing and entertaining the audience. It often features exaggerated or absurdly humorous representations of well-known stories, plays, or themes, focusing on the comedic elements and exaggerating their characteristics.
When used as an adjective, burlesque describes a style of performance or entertainment that incorporates satire, humor, or parody. It can be applied to a wide range of artistic expressions, such as literature, film, or even fashion, that deliberately distort or mock serious or conventional ideas. Burlesque often utilizes irony, exaggeration, and subversion to create a humorous commentary on societal norms, cultural practices, or taboos.
Overall, burlesque is a form of entertainment that embraces comedy, parody, and satire to entertain and amuse audiences, offering a comedic take on serious or elevated subject matter through exaggerated performances or artistic expressions.
• The turning any matter into ridicule; the representation of a subject in mock gravity with the view of exciting laughter.
• Tending to raise laughter; droll; comic.
• To turn a subject into ridicule; to treat a trifling matter with mock gravity to excite laughter.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "burlesque" originated from the Italian word "burla", which means a joke, mockery, or prank. The Italian term "burlare" means to joke, ridicule, or deceive. "Burlesque" was first used in English in the late 17th century to describe a form of musical or theatrical entertainment that generally involved humor, parody, satire, and exaggerated representations. Over time, the term evolved to refer to a specific genre of entertainment characterized by comic plays, extravagant costumes, and bawdy humor.