What is the origin of the word satire?
The word satire originates from the Latin phrase lanx satura, meaning a full dish of mixed fruits, rather than from mythological satyrs. This etymological root reveals that the genre was originally conceived as a medley or miscellany of various kinds. The Roman poet Quintilian later formalized this into a strict literary form, yet the term quickly escaped its narrow definition to become a global tool for social criticism.