| picaresque \pi-keh-RESK\ (adjective) - Pertaining to the life of an adventurous rogue, usually of low origin, who uses his wits to overcome obstacles and survive in a world bent on arresting his progress. Pertaining to novel whose main character is such a person.
"Sherry has picked up with a fellow who seems to have lived a rather picaresque life up to now."
From Spanish "picaresco," the adjective from picaro, perhaps from picar "to prick" from Vulgar Latin piccare. Akin to French pique "a prick, irritation" from piquer "to prick" which is the origin of English pique "to provoke" (Harold's odd accent piqued Adie's curiosity), "to be proud" (He piqued himself in his well-kempt mutton-chops), and "to vex." Today's term is most widely used in referring to novels about the adventures of a sly romantic rogue. These novels began in Spain but soon spread throughout Europe. 'Guzman de Alfarache' (1599) by Mateo Aleman is the earliest and Henry Fielding's "The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling" (1749) is probably the best such novel in English. Today's adjective is based on the Spanish word picaro (or picaroon) "an adventurous rogue" while a picara is his female counterpart, e.g. Daniel Defoe's Moll Flanders. |
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