1598 (first used in Eng. by Ben Jonson), from or in imitation of L. parodia "parody," from Gk. paroidia "burlesque song or poem," from para- "beside, parallel to" (in this case, "mock-") + oide "song, ode." The meaning "poor or feeble imitation" is from 1830. The verb is attested from c.1745.