First Known Use: 1690
Dictionary
1ridicule
noun rid·i·cule \ˈri-də-ˌkyül\
: the act of making fun of someone or something in a cruel or harsh way : harsh comments made by people who are laughing at someone or something
Full Definition of RIDICULE
: the act of ridiculing : derision, mockery
See ridicule defined for English-language learners
See ridicule defined for kids
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Origin of RIDICULE
French or Latin; French, from Latin ridiculum jest
Rhymes with RIDICULE
April fool, Barnaul, blow one's cool, boarding school, charter school, common school, cutty stool, dirty pool, ducking stool, fascicule, gallinule, grammar school, graticule, groupuscule, Hartlepool, Istanbul, kilojoule, lenticule, Liverpool, machine tool, magnet school, majuscule, middle school, minischool, minuscule, molecule, motor pool, normal school, nursery school, overrule, private school, public school, reform school, reticule, summer school, Sunday school, training school, vestibule, wading pool
2ridicule
verb
: to laugh at and make jokes about (someone or something) in a cruel or harsh way : to make fun of (someone or something)
ridiculedridicul·ing
Full Definition of RIDICULE
transitive verb
: to make fun of
— rid·i·cul·er noun
See ridicule defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of RIDICULE
circa 1700
Related to RIDICULE
- Synonyms
- deride, gibe (or jibe), jeer, laugh (at), mock, scout, shoot down, skewer, cock a snook (at) also cock snooks (at), make fun of, make sport of, poke fun at, rag on
Synonym Discussion of RIDICULE
ridicule, deride, mock, taunt mean to make an object of laughter of. ridicule implies a deliberate often malicious belittling <consistently ridiculed everything she said>. deride suggests contemptuous and often bitter ridicule <derided their efforts to start their own business>. mock implies scorn often ironically expressed as by mimicry or sham deference <youngsters began to mock the helpless wino>. taunt suggests jeeringly provoking insult or challenge <hometown fans taunted the visiting team>.
RIDICULE Defined for Kids
1ridicule
noun rid·i·cule \ˈri-də-ˌkyül\
Definition of RIDICULE for Kids
: the act of making fun of someone or something in a cruel or harsh way : mean or unkind comments or behavior
2ridicule
verb
rid·i·culedrid·i·cul·ing
Definition of RIDICULE for Kids
: to make fun of in a cruel or harsh way <They ridiculed the idea.>
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