a type of riddle. In a charade, a word is divided, usually syllabically, into two or more parts, each of which has its own meaning, for example, vino (“wine”) + grad (“city” or “hail”) for vinograd (“grapes”), or sem’ (“seven”) + ia (“I”) for sem’ia (“family”). Each of the component words is described in the manner of periphrasis.
Practically unknown in folklore, charades originated when writing made word division visually recognizable. They were especially popular in salons in the 17th and 18th centuries, read as poems or acted out.
An anonymous example of a charade follows.
Edva primetnyi cherv’, no dlia mekhov opasnyi
Est’ pervoe moe. Znak v azbuke bezglasnyi—
Vtoroe. A poet i komik-charodei
Est’ tseloesharady sei (Mol’-er).
A worm that’s barely noticeable but dangerous to furs
Is my first part. A mute symbol in the alphabet
Is the second. And a poet and comic wizard
Is the whole of this charade. (Mol’ [”moth”] + er
[a silent letter in Old Russian] = Mol’er [Molière].)