Standard Lemma guide

mockery

noun · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈmɒkəɹi/
  • US: /ˈmɑkəɹi/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: M AA1 K ER0 IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The action of mocking; ridicule, derision.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Something so lacking in necessary qualities as to inspire ridicule; a laughing-stock.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Something insultingly imitative; an offensively futile action, gesture etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, obsolete, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

Mimicry, imitation, now usually in a derogatory sense; a travesty, a ridiculous simulacrum.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • The defendant wasn't allowed to speak at his own trial - it was a mockery of justice.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

humorous or satirical mimicry

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: parody, takeoff

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: apery, mimicry

6

noun

Meaning 6

showing your contempt by derision

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: jeer, jeering, scoff, scoffing

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: derision

7

noun

Meaning 7

a composition that imitates or misrepresents somebody's style, usually in a humorous way

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: parody, lampoon, spoof, sendup, takeoff, burlesque, travesty, charade, pasquinade, put-on

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: caricature, imitation, impersonation

History

Etymology

From Middle English mokkery, from Anglo-Norman mokerie, mokery and Middle French mocquerie, moquerie, from moquer, moker (“to mock”) + -erie (“-ery”), perhaps from Byzantine Greek μωκός (mōkós, “mocker”), perhaps from Arabic مَكْر (makr, “scheme, plot”). Equivalent to mock + -ery.

Across languages

Translations

55 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: اِسْتِهْزَاء (istihzāʔ) — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Arabic: تريقة (taryaga) — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Armenian: ծաղր (caġr) — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Azerbaijani: rişxənd — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Bulgarian: подигравка (podigravka) — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Bulgarian: насмешка (nasmeška) — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Bulgarian: присмех (prismeh) — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Czech: výsměch — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Czech: zesměšnění — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Czech: posměch — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Esperanto: mokado — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Finnish: iva — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Galician: burla — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Galician: moca — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Galician: escarnio — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Galician: chufa — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • German: Verspottung — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • German: Verhöhnung — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Greek: χλευασμός (chlevasmós) — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Ancient Greek: λάσθη (lásthē) — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Ancient Greek: κατάγελως (katágelōs) — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Ancient Greek: μῶκος (môkos) — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Hindi: उपहास (uphās) — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Hindi: खिल्ली (khillī) — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Hungarian: csúfolás — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Hungarian: gúnyolás — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Italian: derisione — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Italian: scherno — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Latin: dērīsiō — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Old English: bismer — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Old Norse: háð — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Old Norse: háðsemi — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Persian: استهزا (estehzâ) — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Plautdietsch: Spott — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Plautdietsch: Spettarie — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Polish: kpina — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Polish: szydera — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Portuguese: escárnio — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Portuguese: zombaria — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Romanian: derâdere — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Romanian: batjocură — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Romanian: bășcălie — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Sanskrit: निद् (nid) — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Spanish: mote — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Spanish: mofa — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Spanish: pitorreo — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Spanish: ludibrio — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Tagalog: uyam — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Welsh: gwatwar — action of mocking; ridicule, derision
  • Bulgarian: посмешище (posmešište) — something to inspire ridicule
  • Esperanto: mokataĵo — something to inspire ridicule
  • German: Gespött — something to inspire ridicule
  • German: Lachnummer — something to inspire ridicule
  • German: Farce — imitation, a travesty, a ridiculous simulacrum
  • German: Posse — imitation, a travesty, a ridiculous simulacrum