buffoon

noun

buf·​foon (ˌ)bə-ˈfün 

1

: a ludicrous figure : clown

2

: a gross and usually ill-educated or stupid person

acting like a ridiculous buffoon

buffoonish

(ˌ)bə-ˈfü-nish 

adjective

Synonyms

• buffo
• clown
• harlequin
• zany

Examples of buffoon in a Sentence

Stop acting like a buffoon.

the children at the birthday party giggled at the buffoon's silly tricks

Recent Examples on the Web

So my place is to play this role of be the little buffoon every now and then. —Outside Online, 21 Nov. 2024

There are colorful characters, but no bombastic buffoons. —Longreads, 15 Nov. 2024

Meanwhile, countries across the world are again suffering an onslaught of demagogues, many of them preening buffoons who have recast themselves as visionary strongmen—much as D’Annunzio did. —Pankaj Mishra, Foreign Affairs, 17 Oct. 2016

Even if the author wrote in paragraph-length, punctuation-free sentences of Biblical prose, and the filmmakers prefer to express themselves through rambling conversations between cinematic buffoons, their work is bound together by an exacting consideration to every word. —Indiewire Staff, IndieWire, 12 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle French bouffon, from Old Italian buffone

First Known Use

1584, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

buffoon

noun

buf·​foon (ˌ)bə-ˈfün 

1

: clown entry 1 sense 2

2

: a crude or stupid person