What Is Kayfabe By Wrestling Historian Cynthia Celeste Miller The word "kayfabe" was first used in pro wrestling's carnival days of the early twentieth century. In that day and age, nearly everyone thought wrestling was a legitimate sport instead of a worked display of athleticism. The truth is that up until that point, wrestling was indeed "true competition". At least for the most part. There is strong evidence that points to some matches being worked more or less from the beginning, though this was the exception rather than the norm.  In any case, it would've been devastating to wrestling's credibility if its true nature was discovered by the public at large. To protect the business, the wrestlers used secret lingo when discussing insider matters. Carney, as it's often called, primarily consists of words that have an extra syllable or an emphasis on a different existing syllable.  This language is one of the few aspects of the business that remains largely unexposed, even to this day.  Of course, not all carney is secret these days. A good handful of the simpler terms are widely known to the masses. One such word is "kayfabe", which roughly translates to "be fake".  Kayfabe is a multi-purpose word that was most often used by workers to alert one another to the presence of a nearby mark (or "mizark" in carney). To "break kayfabe" is to step out of character and spew insider information. To "kayfabe someone" is to withhold insider information from someone not in the know.  Unfortunately, aside from the common carney terms, the language itself has become something of a lost art. Most younger workers in the business will simply look at you blankly if you say the word "brizzat".  My, how the business has changed.