Punchinello
[puhn-chuh-nel-oh]
- a grotesque or absurd chief character in a puppet show of Italian origin: the prototype of Punch.
- any similarly grotesque or absurd person or thing.
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Origin of Punchinello
1660–70; < Italian (Naples dial.) polecenella character in the puppet show, diminutive of polecana turkey-cock chick < Late Latin pullicēnus, derivative of Latin pullus pullet
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
fooljestermimebuffooncomediancomicprankstercut-upmadcapharlequinwagribaldjokesterpunchjokermountebankwitzanyantichumoristExamples from the Web for punchinello
Historical Examples
A punchinello jarred against him with: “Pardonnez moi, pardie!”
The StrollersFrederic S. Isham
It is also from Naples that we have taken the Punchinello dance.
A Treatise on the Art of DancingGiovanni-Andrea Gallini
Punchinello asks Columbine who has been with her, and she replies, "Only the servant."
Stars of the OperaMabel Wagnalls
The circus folk said Punchinello was not well and told him he must rest.
The Green Forest Fairy BookLoretta Ellen Brady
Suddenly the child stopped, for Punchinello was no longer dancing.
The Green Forest Fairy BookLoretta Ellen Brady
Punchinello
- a type of clown from Italian burlesque or puppet shows, the prototype of Punch
- (sometimes not capital) any grotesque or absurd character
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Word Origin
C17: from earlier Polichinello, from Italian (Neapolitan dialect) Polecenella, from Italian pulcino chicken, ultimately from Latin pullus young animal
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for punchinello
Punchinello
n.
see Punch.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper