Sentence:  The <WSD>picaresque</WSD> novel finds its origins in the humanist search for an expansion of the historiographical genre. [...] The protagonist of the <WSD>picaresque</WSD> novel is the "pícaro", a character of lowly descent who, by passing through a wide array of professions, attempts to rise in social standing. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  Characteristic of a genre of Spanish satiric novel dealing with the adventures of a roguish hero.