buffoon

American  

[buh-foon] / bəˈfun /

noun

1. a person who amuses others by tricks, jokes, odd gestures and postures, etc.

   Synonyms:

   fool, clown, jester

2. a person given to coarse or undignified joking.

   Synonyms:

   boor

3. a silly or foolish person.

   He has been shown to be a pompous, incompetent buffoon.

---

buffoon British  

/ bəˈfuːn /

noun

1. a person who amuses others by ridiculous or odd behaviour, jokes, etc

2. a foolish person

---

Other Word Forms

• buffoonery noun
• buffoonish adjective

Etymology

Origin of buffoon

First recorded in 1540–50; earlier buffon, from French, from Italian buffone, equivalent to buff- (expressive form; compare buffa “puff of breath,” buffare “to puff, puff up one's cheeks”) + -one agent suffix, ultimately from Latin -ōnem, accusative of nominative noun suffix -ō

Example Sentences

This is old craft, passed down by far more charismatic heels, but you don’t get to select your generation’s buffoons.

From The Wall Street Journal

James wasn’t the buffoon his critics disdain, but nor was he a durable leader whose reforms would endure.

From The Wall Street Journal

He says he feels like he's the "bumbling buffoon" in the "walled garden that is traditional publishing" and that he's committed a kind of "literary heist".

From BBC

The “buffoon” story comforts those who can’t face the professional competence behind the chaos.

From Salon

Created by a solo developer known only as LocalThunk, card game Balatro - which takes its name from the Latin for jester or buffoon - is one of the year's biggest success stories.

From BBC

Related Words

• clown