Summary
The Devil’s Dictionary is a darkly satirical reference work in which American author and journalist Ambrose Bierce redefines common English words with biting wit and cynical insight.
Written in the form of a mock dictionary, the book delivers sharp, ironic commentary on politics, religion, love, business, and human nature—often with a brutal sense of humor.
Some famous examples:
Lawyer — One skilled in circumvention of the law.
Marriage — The state or condition of a community consisting of a master, a mistress and two slaves, making in all, two.
Politics — A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles.
Bierce’s entries reflect his deep skepticism of social institutions and human virtue, honed during his career as a war veteran, journalist, and critic. The work was both celebrated and criticized in its time for its scathing tone, and today it remains a classic of American satire.