# satire

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈsætaɪɹ/ · frequency rank #12,136

## Definitions
1. 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.
2. A satirical work.
3. Severity of remark.

## Etymology
From Middle French satire, from Old French, from Latin satira, from earlier satura, from lanx satura (“full dish”), from feminine of satur. Altered in Latin by influence of Ancient Greek σάτυρος (sáturos, “satyr”), on the mistaken notion that the form is related to the Greek σατυρικὸν δράμα (saturikòn dráma, “satyr drama”).

## Easily confused with
- **stir** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/satire-vs-stir)
- **sire** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/satire-vs-sire)
- **store** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/satire-vs-store)
- **stare** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/satire-vs-stare)
- **shire** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/satire-vs-shire)
- **spire** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/satire-vs-spire)
- **stipe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/satire-vs-stipe)
- **Saturn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/satire-vs-saturn)
- **squire** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/satire-vs-squire)
- **suture** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/satire-vs-suture)
- **sativa** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/satire-vs-sativa)
- **stature** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/satire-vs-stature)
- **sate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sate-vs-satire)
- **satin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/satin-vs-satire)
- **Sadie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sadie-vs-satire)
- **sabre** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sabre-vs-satire)
- **saline** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/saline-vs-satire)
- **Sabine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sabine-vs-satire)

## Common misspellings (8)
`astire`, `saitre`, `satier`, `satirre`, `satrie`, `sattire`, `ssatire`, `staire`

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