buffoon

[ buh-foon ]
/ bəˈfun /

noun

a person who amuses others by tricks, jokes, odd gestures and postures, etc.
a person given to coarse or undignified joking.

Origin of buffoon

1540–50; earlier buffon < French < Italian buffone, equivalent to buff- (expressive base; compare buffa puff of breath, buffare to puff, puff up one's checks) + -one agent suffix ≪ Latin -ō, accusative -ōnem

OTHER WORDS FROM buffoon

buf·foon·er·y [buh-foo-nuh-ree] /bəˈfu nə ri/, noun buf·foon·ish, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for buffoonery

British Dictionary definitions for buffoonery

buffoon
/ (bəˈfuːn) /

noun

a person who amuses others by ridiculous or odd behaviour, jokes, etc
a foolish person

Derived forms of buffoon

buffoonery, noun

Word Origin for buffoon

C16: from French bouffon, from Italian buffone, from Medieval Latin būfō, from Latin: toad