Charades

/ʃəˈreɪdz/ noun

Definition

A game where players act out words or phrases without speaking while others guess what they mean.

Etymology

From French 'charade', possibly from Occitan 'charrada' (conversation or chatter), though the origin is disputed. The game developed in 18th-century parlors and became popular across Europe.

Kelly Says

Charades became a Victorian obsession because it was one of the few games where women and men played as equals—the physical comedy and wordplay didn't depend on education level, making it genuinely democratic entertainment.

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