Charade
/ʃəˈreɪd/noun
A game or act of mime in which a word or phrase is guessed from clues, or an elaborate pretense.
Did you know?Charade comes from French charade, originally meaning a riddle or puzzle, and its deeper history is tangled with a word for idle chat or chatter—so it began as language turned into a social game of hidden meaning.
Etymological Timeline
18th Century
French
charade
“A riddle or puzzle, often acted out or described in clues.”
Late 18th Century
English
charade
“A riddle game; a form of guessing entertainment.”
19th Century
English
charade
“An empty pretense or sham performance.”
Earlier French
French
charra
“Talk, chatter, or idle conversation.”
Latin
Latin
garrire
“To chatter, prattle, or talk noisily.”