jester

noun

jest·​er ˈje-stər 

1

: fool sense 2a

2

: one given to jests

Synonyms

• card
• comedian
• comic
• droll
• farceur
• funnyman
• gagger
• gagman
• gagster
• humorist
• joker
• jokester
• wag
• wit

Examples of jester in a Sentence

a gentle jester, the cartoonist more often tries to evoke a broad smile than a hearty guffaw

the king called for some much-needed entertainment from his jester

Recent Examples on the Web

When March Madness arrives, however, college hoops play the role of jester in the capital region, according to a recent study by WalletHub. —Kendrick Marshall, Sacramento Bee, 13 Mar. 2025

The jester figures Lehr-Hexen Niedereschach during a carnival event in Fischbach, Germany. —Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025

After Quinn quickly befriends a group of troublemaking teens suspected of setting the blaze, the youths are picked off by the titular homicidal jester. —Glenn Garner, Deadline, 10 Mar. 2025

As resident jester at the maverick journalism outlet The Free Press, Nellie Bowles scours the news for the absurd and hypocritical, and then skewers the best of the worst in her column, TGIF. —Roy Rivenburg, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English gestour "reciter of romances, minstrel, entertainer," from gesten "to recite romances" + -our -er entry 2 — more at jest entry 2

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for jester

• ester
• esther
• fester
• nester
• nestor
• pester
• prester
• quaestor
• tester
• wester
• yester
• ancestor

Kids Definition

jester

noun

jest·​er ˈjes-tər 

1

: fool entry 1 sense 2

court jester

2

: a person given to jests