comedy of manners: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2Literary, academic, educated conversation
Quick answer
What does “comedy of manners” mean?
A genre of play, novel, or film that satirizes the social customs and behaviors of a particular class or group, especially the upper classes.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A genre of play, novel, or film that satirizes the social customs and behaviors of a particular class or group, especially the upper classes.
More broadly, any work of fiction that humorously critiques the artificiality, hypocrisy, and rigid conventions of social behavior within a specific societal group or time period.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term originates from and is most strongly associated with British literary tradition (e.g., Restoration comedy). It is equally understood in American literary and academic contexts but has a less dominant cultural presence.
Connotations
In the UK, it strongly connotes a specific historical literary period (Restoration) and playwrights like Congreve and Sheridan. In the US, it may be used more broadly for any social satire of etiquette.
Frequency
More frequent in UK literary and theatre discourse. In the US, it is a standard term in university literature courses but less common in everyday speech.
Grammar
How to Use “comedy of manners” in a Sentence
[Play/Film/Novel] is a comedy of manners.The comedy of manners satirizes [social group/convention].In the comedy of manners, [character] embodies [social trait].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “comedy of manners” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The film comedies-of-manners the pretensions of the country house set.
- He has a talent for comedying-of-manners the middle classes.
American English
- The show comedies-of-manners suburban life beautifully.
- She comedies-of-manners the tech billionaires in her new play.
adverb
British English
- The play was written very comedy-of-manners-ly.
- He observed the party comedy-of-manners-ly.
American English
- The script treats its characters comedy-of-manners-ly.
- She writes comedy-of-manners-ly about political circles.
adjective
British English
- It was a comedy-of-manners approach to the material.
- His comedy-of-manners style is reminiscent of Wilde.
American English
- The novel takes a comedy-of-manners view of academia.
- Her comedy-of-manners sensibility shines through in the dialogue.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used. Could metaphorically describe office politics satirized in a training video or corporate parody.
Academic
Common in literature, theatre, and cultural studies departments to classify and analyse works.
Everyday
Uncommon. Might be used by educated individuals discussing films, books, or plays with a strong social satire element.
Technical
A precise genre term in literary criticism and dramaturgy.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “comedy of manners”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “comedy of manners”
- Misspelling as 'comedy of manor's' (confusing with a large house).
- Using it to describe any funny play, rather than one specifically satirizing social conventions.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While the genre peaked in the Restoration and 18th century, modern works (films, TV shows, novels) that satirize the social rules of specific groups (e.g., tech bros, fashionistas, academics) can be described as comedies of manners.
A comedy of manners is a specific *type* of satire. All comedies of manners are satires, but not all satires are comedies of manners. The comedy of manners focuses specifically on the manners (social behavior, etiquette, conventions) of a particular class or time.
Yes. The term originated in theatre but is commonly applied to novels (e.g., by Jane Austen, Evelyn Waugh, Nancy Mitford) that share the same satirical focus on social customs and behavior.
Key figures include William Congreve, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, and Oscar Wilde in theatre; and Jane Austen, William Makepeace Thackeray, and Edith Wharton in the novel.
A genre of play, novel, or film that satirizes the social customs and behaviors of a particular class or group, especially the upper classes.
Comedy of manners is usually literary, academic, educated conversation in register.
Comedy of manners: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkɒmədi əv ˈmænəz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkɑːmədi əv ˈmænərz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A comedy of manners unfolds.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine well-MANNERED people at a fancy COMEDY club, where the jokes are all about their own ridiculous social rules.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIETY IS A STAGE (where people perform roles according to a script of manners).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the LEAST characteristic of a traditional comedy of manners?