Mocking or making fun of someone or something in a cruel way to make them seem foolish or amusing.
From Latin 'ridiculum' (laughable, absurd), derived from 'ridere' (to laugh). The '-ing' form makes it a present participle, showing the ongoing action of mockery.
The Romans used 'ridiculum' in theater and satire as a tool to attack powerful people safely—ridicule has always been a sneaky weapon because laughter gives you plausible deniability about your intentions.
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