# roman à clef

> English word · Noun · IPA /rəʊˌmɑn.əˈkleɪ/

## Definitions
1. A piece of fiction, especially a novel, describing real-life people or events.

## Etymology
Borrowed from French roman à clef (literally “novel with a key”).

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