bur·lesque 
/bɚˈlɛsk/ noun
plural bur·lesques /bɚˈlɛsk/ noun 1 : a play, story, novel, etc., that makes a serious subject seem funny or ridiculous [count] ▪ The book is a burlesque of Victorian society. [noncount] ▪ a writer whose burlesque often bordered on cruelty 2 [noncount] : a kind of entertainment that was popular in the U.S. in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and that included funny performances, singing, dancing, etc., and sometimes performances in which women took off their clothes
▪ Several important 20th-century performers got their start in burlesque.
▪ Several important 20th-century performers got their start in burlesque.
— burlesque adjective
▪ burlesque dancers ▪ a burlesque show
▪ burlesque dancers ▪ a burlesque show
