Char"la*tan (?), n. [F. charlatan, fr. It. ciarlatano, fr. ciarlare to chatter, prate; of imitative origin; cf. It. zirlare to whistle like a thrush.]
One who prates much in his own favor, and makes unwarrantable pretensions; a quack; an impostor; an empiric; a mountebank.
© Webster 1913.