zany

[zey-nee]

adjective

zanier, zaniest 

1. ludicrously or whimsically comical; clownish.

noun

plural

zanies 

1. one who plays the clown or fool in order to amuse others.

2. a comically wild or eccentric person.

   Synonyms: lunatic, crazy, kook

3. a secondary stock character in old comedies who mimicked his master.

4. a professional buffoon; clown.

5. a silly person; simpleton.

6. a slavish attendant or follower.

zany

/ ˈzeɪnɪ /

adjective

1. comical in an endearing way; imaginatively funny or comical, esp in behaviour

noun

1. a clown or buffoon, esp one in old comedies who imitated other performers with ludicrous effect

2. a ludicrous or foolish person

Other Word Forms

• zanily adverb
• zaniness noun
• zanyism noun
• zanyish adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of zany¹

1560–70; (< Middle French ) < Italian zan ( n ) i (later zanno ) a servant character in the commedia dell’arte, perhaps originally the character's name, the Upper Italian form of Tuscan Gianni, for Giovanni John

Word History and Origins

Origin of zany¹

C16: from Italian zanni, from dialect (Venice and Lombardy) Zanni, nickname for Giovanni John; one of the traditional names for a clown

Example Sentences

The MLB postseason, which begins on Tuesday, is often described as a “crapshoot”—a zany, monthlong gauntlet where chaos reigns supreme and the best team in the regular season rarely wins.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

His rendition, which often presents the president as a zany stand-up comedian slinging joke after joke, has won wide respect in the comedy world, and anchored SNL’s political takes for the last four seasons.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

The band was riding high on their new single, the chart-topping “Help!” and the group’s zany new film of the same title was set to open in New York City on August 11.

Read more on Salon

"We want to see the outrageous, the zany, but at the same time, we don't want it to be so removed from our lives that we can't relate at all," she said.

Read more on BBC

The Georgia couple gained popularity for their USA Network series, which showcased their luxurious lifestyle and zany family dynamic.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• campy 
• comical 
• eccentric 
• goofy 
• kooky 
• loony 
• madcap 
• wacky