You searched for: “charlatan
charlatan (s) (SHAR luh tuhn) (noun), charlatans (pl)
1. Someone who falsely pretends to have expert knowledge or skills in order to deceive other people: It has been proven that fortune-tellers are charlatans.

A charlatan, who was a salesman in a jewelry store, tried to convince Jane that she could buy a diamond ring for much less than a cheap silver ring.

Synonyms: fake, fraud, deceiver, quack, impostor/imposter, cheat, swindler, trickster.

2. Etymology: from Italian ciarlatano, "babbler, idle talker"; from ciariare, "to babble, to patter"; an imitation of the sounds of empty talking.
A pretender of ability or knowledge.
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Someone who claims to have knowledge or skill which he or she does not have; a quack.
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"A charlatan is a quack who hopes others don't know that he doesn't know what he pretends to know."

—Evan Esar
This entry is located in the following unit: charlatan- (page 1)
(Italian, "chatter, prattle" > French: deceive, deceiver; swindle, swindler; fraud, quack, chiseler)
Word Entries containing the term: “charlatan
charlatan-
Italian, "chatter, prattle" > French: deceive, deceiver; swindle, swindler; fraud, quack, chiseler"; in this unit.