farce

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A situation that is absurd or ridiculous, often because it is so badly handled.

   The trial turned into a complete farce.

2. 2
   noun

   A comic play full of exaggerated and improbable situations.

   The theatre is staging a French farce full of slammed doors and mistaken identities.

Borrowed from Middle French farce (“farce (style of humor); stuffing”) (in the latter sense, via Middle English fars, farsse), from Old French farse, from Medieval Latin farsa, from the feminine perfect passive participle of Latin farciō (“to stuff”). The theatre sense alludes to the pleasant and varied character of certain stuffed food items. Doublet of farse.

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