slapstick
noun
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The idea that knocking people about made for good comedy dates as far back as the Greco-Roman theater, where clowns rambunctiously "attacked" one another onstage. The object from which the word slapstick derives, however, was invented in Italy in the 16th century. Renaissance comedy typically featured stock characters placed in ridiculous situations, and one such ubiquitous character was Harlequin, whose brilliant costuming made him easily recognizable. Harlequin was given to wielding a paddle which was designed to make a terrible noise when he hit someone, usually to the delight of the audience. This paddle was eventually known in English as a "slapstick," and it became a symbol of that type of highly physical comedy. The word slapstick then came to refer to the comedy itself.
Examples of slapstick in a Sentence
Barry Levitt, TIME, 21 Mar. 2025
Then there was the slapstick comedy of bellhop Esteban and janitor/inventor Arwin.
—Skyler Trepel, EW.com, 18 Mar. 2025
The scene that draws the biggest laughs from the audience features a bit of old school slapstick comedy as Cher attempts to make a clumsy romantic pass at her classmate Christian in her bedroom, falling off the bed and wobbling across the stage in heels that are far too high.
—Lee Sharrock, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
Emerging from the human printer never gets old, and there's one exceptional bit of slapstick where 17 is poisoned (on purpose, of course) at a fancy dinner.
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for slapstick
Cite this Entry
“Slapstick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slapstick. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.
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