See Also: travesty(medicine)
travesty(1)(dictionary)
travesty(2)(dictionary)
travesty(dictionary)

travesty(1) (iou)



travesty adjective & noun. M17.
[French travesti pa. pple of travestir from Italian travestire, from tra- TRANS- + vestire clothe.]
A. adjective. Dressed so as to be made ridiculous; burlesqued, parodied. M17-L18.
b. noun.
(A) derisive or ludicrous imitation of a serious literary work. Now chiefly transf., a grotesque misrepresentation or imitation (of a thing). L17.
A. G. Gardiner A travesty of justicea premium upon recklessness. I. Asimov His drooping eyelid dipped..in a ghastly travesty of a wink.
Orig., an alteration of dress; a disguise. Now spec. (chiefly Theatrical), (dressing in) the clothes or style of clothing of members of the opposite sex (see also EN TRAVESTI). M18.
Comb.: travesty role Theatrical: designed to be played by a performer of the sex opposite to that of the character represented.