harlequin
A pantomime fool, typically dressed in colorful checkered clothes, used as a stock…A pantomime fool, typically dressed in colorful checkered clothes, used as a stock character in commedia dell'arte and other genres.
» Tom used to be a harlequin.
Meaning
4 senses(countable, uncountable)A pantomime fool, typically dressed in colorful checkered clothes, used as a stock character in commedia dell'arte and other genres.
Harlekin
арлеки́нarlekín
арлекі́нarlekín
a clown or buffoon (after the Harlequin character in the commedia dell'arte)
(countable, uncountable)A greenish-chartreuse color.
(countable, informal, uncountable)A harlequin duck.
(countable, uncountable)Any of various riodinid butterflies of the genera Taxila and Praetaxila.
Examples
4 sentencesTom used to be a harlequin.
The harlequin had large, red lips.
The harlequin amused the public.
A harlequin wore colorful clothing and covered his face with a mask to protect his identity.
deEin Harlekin trug farbenfrohe Kleider und verbarg sein Gesicht hinter einer Maske, um seine Identität nicht preiszugeben.
Translations
9 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
From earlier Harlicken, from Middle French Harlequin (in Italian Arlecchino, the name of aFrom earlier Harlicken, from Middle French Harlequin (in Italian Arlecchino, the name of a popular servant character in commedia dell'arte plays), from Old French Harlequin, Halequin, Herlequin, Hellequin, Hierlekin, Hellekin (a demon, malevolent spirit), probably of Germanic origin, connected to the Old English figure of *Herla Cyning (“King Herla”, a mythical figure identified with Woden) or possibly to Old Frisian helle kin, Old English helle cyn, Old Norse heljar kyn (“the kindred of Hell”). Related to Middle English Hurlewain (“a mischievous sprite or goblin”).
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
plural: harlequins| Singular | harlequin |
|---|---|
| Plural | harlequins |
regular
Word family
11 related wordsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable