caricature

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Formal

n. a very bad or simplified version of something that does not show its true quality.

n. a grotesque or simplified misrepresentation of a person, group, or idea that lacks nuance.

“The movie was just a caricature of real life in the city.”

“Critics argued that the documentary was a cruel caricature of the working class, ignoring the complex social realities of the region.”

C1 · Advanced Formal

v. to describe or draw someone in a way that makes their qualities seem much more extreme than they are.

v. to represent a person or thing in an exaggerated or distorted manner, typically for the purpose of ridicule.

“The comedian liked to caricature the way famous actors speak.”

“The novelist was careful not to caricature her characters, ensuring that even the antagonists possessed believable human motivations.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Computing Technical

n. in computer systems, a face image changed to look less like an average person so the software can recognize it more easily.

n. a digital representation of a face modified to deviate further from the mean face, thereby increasing distinctiveness for recognition algorithms.

“The software uses a caricature to identify the user even in low light.”

“By generating a caricature that amplified unique facial landmarks, the system significantly reduced the false-positive rate in the identification trial.”