Rhetorical Terms Associated With Humor and Satire

Spoof

good natured, humorous exploitation of characters or stereotypes; may utilize schemes and tropes of a film, movie, or television genre

Parody

A work that closely imitates the style, content, schemes, or tropes of another genre or art form with the specific aim of comic effect.

Satire

A work that targets human vices, leadership, social institutions, expectations or conventions (sometimes in a subtly offensive way) in order to effect change.

Sarcasm

verbal irony used to insult, mock, or convey contempt

Self-deprecation

anecdotal humor rooted in mocking one's self

Double Entendre

a word or phrase open to two interpretations, one of which usually implies risqué or indecent sexuality.

Dry humor

humor marked by matter-of-fact, understated, or flat delivery, sometimes utilizing a serious or terse tone

Oxymoron

A figure of speech that combines opposite or contradictory terms in a brief, seemingly self-contradictory phrase.

Litotes

A form of understatement that involves making an affirmative point by denying its opposite; exaggerated understatement

using understatement to emphasize a statement

Hyperbole

extremely exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally

Zeugma

use of the same word to govern two or more ideas, though one use may be more appropriate or accurate

Incongruity

nonconformity, disagreement, incompatibility, absurdity

Ambiguity

The multiple meanings--either intentional or unintentional--of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage.

Caricature

a picture, description, or performance using gross exaggeration or distortion, as for humorous effect or in ridicule

Farce

lighthearted comedy that centers around a ridiculous plot involving exaggerated and improbable events that relies on absurd scenarios and physical humor

Malapropism

a word humorously misused, either by intent or confusion

Juxtaposition

placement of two things closely together to emphasize comparisons or contrasts

benign violation

the idea that humor is created from behavior or language that is unexpected, but not harmful

Comic reversal

humor created when the predictable is replaced by something unexpected or opposite

Invective

insulting, abusive, or highly critical language; an outright verbal attack designed to criticize, intimidate, or mock