# satire vs sire

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### satire
*noun · IPA /ˈsætaɪɹ/ · frequency rank #12,136*
A literary device of writing or art which principally ridicules its subject often as an intended means of provoking or preventing change or highlighting a shortcoming in the work of another. Imitation, humor, irony, and exaggeration are often used to aid this.

### sire
*noun · IPA /saɪə(ɹ)/ · frequency rank #16,586*
A lord, master, or other person in authority, most commonly used vocatively: formerly in speaking to elders and superiors, later only when addressing a sovereign.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/satire-vs-sire