commedia dell'arte

American  

[kuh-mey-dee-uh del-ahr-tee, kawm-me-dyah del-lahr-te] / kəˈmeɪ di ə dɛlˈɑr ti, kɔmˈmɛ dyɑ dɛlˈlɑr tɛ /

noun

commedia dell'artes, plural commedias dell'arte, plural commedie dell'arte plural

1. Italian popular comedy, developed chiefly during the 16th–18th centuries, in which masked entertainers improvised from a plot outline based on themes associated with stock characters and situations.

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commedia dell'arte British  

/ kɔmˈmeːdia delˈlarte /

noun

1. a form of popular comedy developed in Italy during the 16th to 18th centuries, with stock characters such as Punchinello, Harlequin, and Columbine, in situations improvised from a plot outline

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• commedias dell'arte
  plural
• commedia dell'artes
  plural
• commedie dell'arte
  plural

Etymology

Origin of commedia dell'arte

1875–80; < Italian: literally, comedy of art

Example Sentences

Now there are programs in prisons that have been running for almost a decade and the self-guided groups are creating their own plays and performances through commedia dell’arte.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2023

That wasn’t surprising, since Molière’s gallery of stock characters, heavily influenced by commedia dell’arte, was of its time, despite some innovations and the social commentary he wove into many plays.

From New York Times • Jun. 23, 2022

These settings are sometimes populated by characters — clowns, jugglers, harlequins and the like — familiar to theater from Italian commedia dell’arte.

From Washington Post • Apr. 19, 2022

The actors josh with each other and the audience in the madcap communal spirit of commedia dell’arte troupers.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 16, 2021

A recurring bit includes one of them choking on French fries; commedia dell’arte experience helpful.

From "Better Nate Than Ever" by Tim Federle