buffoon
One who performs in a silly or ridiculous fashionOne who performs in a silly or ridiculous fashion; a clown or fool.
» Tom is what my father would call a buffoon.
Meaning
2 sensesOne who performs in a silly or ridiculous fashion; a clown or fool.
Hanswurst, Kasper
шутšut, пая́цpajác, скоморо́хskomoróx
бла́зеньblázenʹ, кло́унklóun
a person who amuses others by ridiculous behavior
(derogatory)An unintentionally ridiculous person.
Narr, Närrin
Examples
3 sentencesTom is what my father would call a buffoon.
Zelensky may well be a buffoon, but he is hardly fascist.
ruЗеленский, может, и клоун, но едва ли фашист.
What a buffoon!
Translations
8 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
By meaning 2
Origin
From Middle French bouffon, from Italian buffone (“jester”), from buffare (“to puff out thFrom 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.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
plural: buffoonsSynonyms
4 synonyms- a person who amuses others by ridiculous behavior:clowngoofgoofballmerry andrew
- a rude or vulgar fool:clown