buffoon

[buh-foon]

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

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of buffoon¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of buffoon¹

C16: from French bouffon , from Italian buffone , from Medieval Latin būfō , from Latin: toad

Example Sentences

“Washington has become Nero’s court, with an incendiary emperor, submissive courtiers, and a ketamine-fueled buffoon in charge of purging the civil service.”

Read more on 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.

Read more on BBC

Who was this buffoon? was the reaction of the national media.

Read more on Salon

The question is: Will the Democrats flood social media with memes using these buffoons’ antics to show what a joke the Trumpified Republicans have become?

Read more on Salon

Trump put up a strong tough guy facade for a while, but at the end of the trial he looked like a deflated balloon, more accurately a deflated buffoon.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• clown