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What is a picaresque novel?
Picaresque derives from Spanish picaresco, which means "of or relating to a picaro," the picaro being the rogue or bohemian usually at the center of picaresque fiction. The typical picaro is a wandering individual of low social standing who happens into a series of adventures among people of various higher classes, and often relies on wits and a little dishonesty to get by. The first known novel in this style is Lazarillo de Tormes (circa 1554), an irreverent work about a poor boy who works for a series of masters of dubious character. The novel has been attributed to Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, but his authorship is disputable.
Examples of picaresque in a Sentence
Emma Alpern, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
This is all basically the setup for a picaresque odyssey in which Marty tirelessly chases his dream, shrugging off humiliations and hostilities, and eventually reconsidering Japan on his own terms.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 1 Dec. 2025
Literary Hub, 2 Dec. 2025
Sleepless Nights is a picaresque like no other, a glittering portrait of an episodic personality.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 5 Nov. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Picaresque.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/picaresque. Accessed 20 Dec. 2025.
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