buffoon

Meaning

Noun

1. One who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion; a clown or fool.
2. An unintentionally ridiculous person.

Verb

To behave like a buffoon

Synonyms

jester

clown

fool

joker

comedian

harlequin

merry andrew

zany

droll

play the clown

clown around

goofball

merry-andrew

play the fool

goof

antic

wag

thug

yob

funny guy

professional entertainer

professional jester

Pierrot

funnyman

jack pudding

sporter

morosoph

motley fool

turkey

badmash

cockscomb

comedienne

comic

gull

laughingstock

madman

mime

mimic

mugger

panderer

pantaloon

play

rascal

ruffian

scoffer

Translations

bouffon

clown

arlequin

baladin

bufón

hansworst

Hanswurst

παλιάτσος

maccus

harlekijn

γελωτοποιός

Possenreißer

buffone

clown

pagliaccio

Pronounced as (IPA)

/bəˈfuːn/

Etymology

From Middle French bouffon, from Italian buffone (“jester”), from buffare (“to puff out the cheeks”), of onomatopoeic origin. Compare Middle High German buffen ("to puff"; > German büffen), Old English pyffan (“to breathe out, blow with the mouth”). More at English puff.