Rab ‧ e ‧ lais, Fran ‧ çois /ˈræbəleɪ $ ˌræbəˈleɪ, ˈfrɒnswɑː $ frɑːnˈswɑː/ BrE AmE
(?1494–1553) a French writer whose book Gargantua and Pantagruel is known for its ↑ satire (=a way of writing about society or powerful people that makes them seem funny in order to show their faults) and jokes about sex