charlatan — a person who falsely claims to have special knowledge or skill in order to obtain money, fame, or other benefits
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a person who falsely claims to have special knowledge or skill in order to obtain money, fame, or other benefits
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈʃɑːrlətən/
Example Sentences
- My grandmother always said that fortune teller was a charlatan, but people kept giving him money anyway.
- The self-proclaimed 'diet guru' was exposed as a charlatan when people discovered he'd been eating pizza every night.
- Social media is full of charlatans selling miracle cures for everything from baldness to heartbreak.
charlatan
NOUN[/ˈʃɑːrlətən/]
a person who falsely claims to have special knowledge or skill in order to obtain money, fame, or other benefits
The charlatan sells fake miracle elixirs to desperate villagers in the town square.
The charlatan with rattan cons crowds in Manhattan!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Italian 'ciarlatano', possibly derived from 'ciarlare' (to chatter or prattle), influenced by the name of a character from commedia dell'arte. The word traveled through European languages and entered English in the 17th century.
Breakdown
From Italian 'ciarlatano' (from 'ciarlare' meaning to chatter + '-ano' agent suffix) = charlatan (one who chatters or makes false claims)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My grandmother always said that fortune teller was a charlatan, but people kept giving him money anyway.”
“The self-proclaimed 'diet guru' was exposed as a charlatan when people discovered he'd been eating pizza every night.”
“Social media is full of charlatans selling miracle cures for everything from baldness to heartbreak.”
“The university revoked his degree when they discovered he was a charlatan who had plagiarized his entire thesis.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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