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April fool

American  

noun

  1. the victim of a practical joke or trick on April Fools' Day.

  2. a practical joke or trick played on that day.


April fool British  

noun

  1. an unsuspecting victim of a practical joke or trick traditionally performed on the first of April ( April Fools' Day or All Fools' Day )

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of April fool

First recorded in 1680–90

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

This was followed by two smiley faces and a later post saying "April fool ma brother ohh".

From BBC • Jan. 10, 2025

I pity the April fool who doesn’t try this week’s Slate News Quiz.

From Slate • Apr. 1, 2022

On the one hand, could this be an early Google April fool?

From Forbes • Sep. 19, 2013

It turned out to be their April fool joke.

From The Guardian • Mar. 29, 2011

"I s'pose you've heard about Mr. Crow's April fool," he said, as he knocked the ashes from his pipe into the grate.

From The Hollow Tree and Deep Woods Book being a new edition in one volume of "The Hollow Tree" and "In The Deep Woods" with several new stories and pictures added by Paine, Albert Bigelow

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