I. ˈtra-və-stē transitive verb
( -tied ; -ty·ing )
Date: 1673
: to make a travesty of : parody
II. noun
( plural -ties )
Etymology: obsolete English travesty disguised, parodied, from French travesti, past participle of travestir to disguise, from Italian travestire, from tra- across (from Latin trans- ) + vestire to dress, from Latin — more at vest
Date: 1674
1. : a burlesque translation or literary or artistic imitation usually grotesquely incongruous in style, treatment, or subject matter
2. : a debased, distorted, or grossly inferior imitation
a travesty of justice
Synonyms: see caricature