Picaresque

Quick meaning: Picaresque is an adjective meaning Of or pertaining to adventurers or rogues.

Meaning

Of or pertaining to adventurers or rogues.

More Meanings

1. (literature) Characteristic of a genre of Spanish satiric novel dealing with the adventures of a roguish hero.
2. (literature) A picaresque novel.

Example Sentences

Spain became celebrated about the end of this century for her novels in the picaresque style, of which Lazarillo de Tormes is the oldest extant specimen.

[T]he word picaro, which is almost synonymous with rogue, [...] has given a name to a whole series of novels in Spain called "Picaresques," the heroes of which are adventurers.

Opening in France just before the Revolution and concluding just after the attack on the Tuileries, [Rafael] Sabatini's novel deftly combines historical romance, picaresque novel and revenge tragedy.

He [Daniel Defoe] produced an amazing variety of wares: newspapers, magazines, ghost stories, biographies, journals, memoirs, satires, picaresque romances, essays on religion, reform, trade, projects, – in all more than two hundred works.

Word Forms

• picaresques

Synonyms for picaresque

Depending on context, synonyms include roguish, dishonorable, dishonest.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include dishonest, dishonorable, piratelike, rascallike, vagabondish, brigandish.

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