clown en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈklæʊ̯n/ Southern US, Midland US, Mid-Atlantic US, New York City, Australia, New Zealand, /aʊ̯/-fronting
- /ˈklaːn/ Pittsburgh, General South African, /aʊ̯/-monophthongization
- /ˈklaʊ̯n/ (Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
- (Southern-England) audio
Etymology
From earlier clowne, cloyne (“man of rustic or coarse manners, boor, peasant”); likely of North Germanic origin, akin to Icelandic klunni (“clumsy fellow, klutz”), Swedish kluns (“clumsy fellow”), all from Middle Low German klunz, from klunt (“pile, lump, something thick”); according to Pokorny, this could be related to a group of Germanic derivatives of Proto-Indo-European *gel- (“to ball up; amass”), such as Proto-West Germanic *klott (“lump”), Proto-Germanic *klūtaz (“clod, lump”), *kultaz (“lump, bundle”), etc. Alternatively, directly from Low German (compare North Frisian klönne (“clumsy fellow, klutz”), Dutch kluns (“clumsy fellow, klutz”), Dutch kloen (“uncouth person, lout”)), themselves from the same ultimate source as above. Unlikely from Latin colōnus (“colonist, farmer”), although learned awareness of this term may have influenced semantic development.
Meanings
-
A slapstick performance artist often associated with a circus and usually characterized by bright, oversized clothing, a red nose, face paint, and a brightly colored wig.
Apart from the many instances in which Stalin himself held the top position-as philosopher, theoretician, statesman, strategist, economist, etc.--it was known, for example, who was the greatest painter, biologist, or circus clown.
1978 [1976], Leszek Kołakowski, translated by P[aul] S[teven] Falla, Main Currents of Marxism, volume III: The Breakdown, Oxford: Clarendon Press, translation of Główne nurty marksizmu: rozkład (in Polish), →ISBN, →OCLC, page 148:Over there in Norway, the churches all burn down / Let's go dress in goth clothes and get painted like a clown
2008, Lich King, “Black Metal Sucks”, in Toxic Zombie Onslaught:
-
A person who acts in a silly fashion.
He was regarded as the clown of the school, always playing pranks.
-
A stupid person.
'Breaking my sister's heart then getting pissed with his mates in the very next pub while she's sobbing alone?' I dragged this clown away from the fruitie and back to Amy next door, running my mouth off at him as we went.
2017, Arron Crascall, See Ya Later: The World According to Arron Crascall:Everything’s on the table, the specs are there in the RFP and can’t be changed by some clown in the Air Force who happens to come up with a new idea.
2013, Kim Stanley Robinson, The Gold Coast: Three Californias (Wild Shore Triptych; 2), Tom Doherty Associates, →ISBN, page 122:"The dealers snatched at the state of intellectual exhaustion and scepticism of all values that followed the first world war to abolish values and substitute for them an arbitrary mumbo-jumbo of occultism and pseudo-Freudianism, which they tagged on to the works of studio clowns like Picasso and Modigliani and the like."
1950, Norman Lindsay, Dust or Polish?, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 81:Doc Bruce Banner, belted by gamma rays, Turns into the Hulk – Ain’t he unglamour-rays! [unglamorous] Wreckin’ the town with the power of a bull, Ain’t no monster, clown. Who is as lovable As ever-lovin’ Hulk? - Hulk! Hulk!
1966, “The Incredible Hulk (theme song)”, Jacques Urbont (lyrics) (The Marvel Super Heroes (television series)):
-
(archaic) A man of coarse nature and manners; an awkward fellow; an illbred person; a boor.
This loutish clown is such that you never saw so ill - favoured a vizar
a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “(please specify the folio)”, in [Fulke Greville; Matthew Gwinne; John Florio], editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London: […] [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1590, →OCLC:[…] three things ought always to be kept under: a mastiff dog, a stone horse and a clown; and really I think a snarling, cross-grained clown to be the most unlucky beast of three.
1700, Timothy Nourse, Campania Foelix, pages 15–16:
-
(archaic) One who works upon the soil; a rustic; a churl; a yokel.
He […] began to descend to familiar questions, endeavouring to accommodate his discourse to the grossness of rustic understandings. The clowns soon found that he did not know wheat from rye, and began to despise him; one of the boys, by pretending to show him a bird's nest, decoyed him into a ditch; […]
August 25, 1759, Samuel Johnson, The Idler No. 71The clown, the child of nature, without guile.
1782–1785, William Cowper, “(please specify the page)”, in The Task, a Poem, […], London: […] J[oseph] Johnson; […], →OCLC:
-
A clownfish.
While the tomato clownfish Amphiprion frenatus has been spawned in captivity, wild-caught tomato clowns are more often seen for sale.
2006, Tropical Fish Hobbyist, volume 54, numbers 5-8, page 32:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| clowne | alternative, obsolete | lexicographic | |
| clowns | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| cloyne | alternative, obsolete | lexicographic |
Deriveds
clown princess · clown-car primary · clownlike · clownhood · ass clown · clown horn · sea clown · clown beetle · clowncore · clownly · clown nose · clown school · clownness · clowness · clownish · clown world · zioclown · clownless · clownage · class clown · clownship · clown shoe · beclown · clown doctor · clownery · clowncel · assclown · clown college · clown prince · clowniness · clown car · clown fish · hippie clown · clownstep · rodeo clown · clownism · clown show · clownette · laughing clown · clown anemone · clown mantis shrimp · clussy · clown therapy · clownfish · clownology · clowndom
Synonyms
fool (person who acts in a silly fashion) · and laughingstock · jester · buffoon
Translations (242)
eu pailazo (performance artist working in a circus) · ckb گەپجاڕ (performance artist working in a circus) · ro bufonă (person acting in a silly fashion) · ka კლოუნი (performance artist working in a circus) · tg ширинкор (person acting in a silly fashion) · de Clownin (performance artist working in a circus) · af harlekyn (performance artist working in a circus) · kmr palyaço (performance artist working in a circus) · pl błazen (performance artist working in a circus) · th ตัวตลก (performance artist working in a circus) · sl klovnesa (performance artist working in a circus) · fi klovni (performance artist working in a circus) · ko 어릿광대 (person acting in a silly fashion) · it pagliaccio (performance artist working in a circus) · izh petruška (person acting in a silly fashion) · rm clown (performance artist working in a circus) · tr palyaço (performance artist working in a circus) · fr andouille (person acting in a silly fashion) · uz kloun (performance artist working in a circus) · ca pallassa (performance artist working in a circus) · ps مسخرچي (person acting in a silly fashion) · ps مسخره باز (person acting in a silly fashion) · it buffona (person acting in a silly fashion) · fr clownesse (performance artist working in a circus) · ro bufon (person acting in a silly fashion) · ro clovn (performance artist working in a circus) · uz masxaraboz (performance artist working in a circus) · id badut (performance artist working in a circus) · ajp مهرج (performance artist working in a circus) · cy clown (performance artist working in a circus) · km តួកំប្លែង (performance artist working in a circus) · ml കോമാളി (performance artist working in a circus) · fr mariole (person acting in a silly fashion) · km អ្នកកំប្លែង (performance artist working in a circus) · lt klounas (performance artist working in a circus) · nl clown (performance artist working in a circus) · ro bufon (performance artist working in a circus) · uk бла́зень (person acting in a silly fashion) · ru фигля́р (performance artist working in a circus) · es payaso (person acting in a silly fashion) · ru фигля́р (person acting in a silly fashion) · ur مَسْخَرا (person acting in a silly fashion) · ja 道化師 (performance artist working in a circus) · afb ارقوز (person acting in a silly fashion) · fr pitre (person acting in a silly fashion) · prs مَسْخَرَه (person acting in a silly fashion) · bg шут (person acting in a silly fashion) · ur مَسْخَرا (performance artist working in a circus) · kmr qeşmer (performance artist working in a circus) · la balatrō (performance artist working in a circus) · hi विदूषक (performance artist working in a circus) · ug مەسخىرىۋاز (performance artist working in a circus) · sv pajas (performance artist working in a circus) · el παλιάτσος (performance artist working in a circus) · arq قراقوز (performance artist working in a circus) · pdt Spucht (performance artist working in a circus) · fi pelle (performance artist working in a circus) · he לֵיצָן (performance artist working in a circus) · es payasa (performance artist working in a circus) · la sanniō (performance artist working in a circus) · arz مهرج (performance artist working in a circus) · sw mcheshi (person acting in a silly fashion) · el παλιάτσος (person acting in a silly fashion) · ms badut (performance artist working in a circus) · ga áilteoir (performance artist working in a circus) · cmn 弄臣 (person acting in a silly fashion) · sv clown (performance artist working in a circus) · et kloun (performance artist working in a circus) · mk палја́чо (person acting in a silly fashion) · apc مهرج (performance artist working in a circus) · mk палја́чо (performance artist working in a circus) · fo íspegil (performance artist working in a circus) · af paljas (performance artist working in a circus) · el τζουτζές (person acting in a silly fashion) · sh кловн (performance artist working in a circus) · sl klovn (performance artist working in a circus) · el καραγκιόζης (person acting in a silly fashion) · ps مسخره (performance artist working in a circus) · fa-ira شوت (person acting in a silly fashion) · it buffone (person acting in a silly fashion) · ro bufonă (performance artist working in a circus) · cs klaun (performance artist working in a circus) · tt клоун (performance artist working in a circus) · prs دَلْقَک (person acting in a silly fashion) · tk kloun (performance artist working in a circus) · fr guignol (person acting in a silly fashion) · es payaso (performance artist working in a circus) · he ליצנית (performance artist working in a circus) · es payasa (person acting in a silly fashion) · ur جوکَر (person acting in a silly fashion) · es clown (performance artist working in a circus) · ru буффо́н (person acting in a silly fashion) · sh klȁun (performance artist working in a circus) · ca pallasso (performance artist working in a circus) · acw أرقوز (performance artist working in a circus) · ru пая́ц (person acting in a silly fashion) · pl błazen (person acting in a silly fashion) · de Witzfigur (person acting in a silly fashion) · acw مهرج (performance artist working in a circus) · af nar (performance artist working in a circus) · lt juokdarys (person acting in a silly fashion) · io klauno (performance artist working in a circus) · tg масхарабоз (person acting in a silly fashion) · az oyunbaz (performance artist working in a circus) · nv łą́ʼátʼíinii (performance artist working in a circus) · bo གད་མོ་སློང་མཁན (performance artist working in a circus) · ur بھانْڈ (person acting in a silly fashion) · hu bohóc (person acting in a silly fashion) · ota میمون (person acting in a silly fashion) · it clown (person acting in a silly fashion) · aeb كاراكوز (performance artist working in a circus) · ru кло́ун (performance artist working in a circus) · fr bouffon (performance artist working in a circus) · oc palhassa (performance artist working in a circus) · arz أراجوز (performance artist working in a circus) · ps مسخره (person acting in a silly fashion) · ur مَسْخَرَہ (performance artist working in a circus) · pl klaun (performance artist working in a circus) · it pagliaccia (person acting in a silly fashion) · fr clown (performance artist working in a circus) · prs مَسْخَرَه (performance artist working in a circus) · pt palhaço (person acting in a silly fashion) · tl payaso (performance artist working in a circus) · ro paiață (performance artist working in a circus) · ru шут (performance artist working in a circus) · vi hề (performance artist working in a circus) · fa-ira مَسْخَرِه (performance artist working in a circus) · fi pelle (person acting in a silly fashion) · be клоўн (person acting in a silly fashion) · de Clown (performance artist working in a circus) · cmn 小丑 (person acting in a silly fashion) · da klovn (person acting in a silly fashion) · yue 小丑 (performance artist working in a circus) · mk кловн (person acting in a silly fashion) · pt palhaça (person acting in a silly fashion) · sq palaço (performance artist working in a circus) · fr bouffonne (performance artist working in a circus) · el κλόουν (performance artist working in a circus) · ru пая́ц (performance artist working in a circus) · nn klovn (performance artist working in a circus) · sk klaun (performance artist working in a circus) · fa-ira مَسْخَرِه (person acting in a silly fashion) · ast payasu (performance artist working in a circus) · ar مُهَرِّج (person acting in a silly fashion) · af hanswors (performance artist working in a circus) · ur مَسْخَرَہ (person acting in a silly fashion) · ru скоморо́х (person acting in a silly fashion) · ko 피에로 (performance artist working in a circus) · kl quiasaarisartoq (performance artist working in a circus) · ko 어릿광대 (performance artist working in a circus) · sq klloun (performance artist working in a circus) · bg паля́чо (person acting in a silly fashion) · hy կլոուն (person acting in a silly fashion) · ja 道化 (person acting in a silly fashion) · ga áilteoir (person acting in a silly fashion) · hu bohóc (performance artist working in a circus) · de Trottel (person acting in a silly fashion) · az kloun (performance artist working in a circus) · el γελωτοποιός (performance artist working in a circus) · kk клоун (performance artist working in a circus) · eo klaŭno (performance artist working in a circus) · is galgopi (person acting in a silly fashion) · sv pajas (person acting in a silly fashion) · fo klovnur (performance artist working in a circus) · fr idiot (person acting in a silly fashion) · sv clown (person acting in a silly fashion) · afb ارقوز (performance artist working in a circus) · fa-ira دَلْقَک (person acting in a silly fashion) · yi בלאַזן (person acting in a silly fashion) · da klovn (performance artist working in a circus) · be бла́зан (person acting in a silly fashion) · sl klovn (person acting in a silly fashion) · lo ຕົວຕະຫລົກ (performance artist working in a circus) · ru шут (person acting in a silly fashion) · is grallari (person acting in a silly fashion) · mi kiri hangareka (person acting in a silly fashion) · km ត្លុក (performance artist working in a circus) · az təlxək (person acting in a silly fashion) · grc γελωτοποιός (performance artist working in a circus) · hi जोकर (performance artist working in a circus) · ro măscărici (performance artist working in a circus) · it pagliaccio (person acting in a silly fashion) · fr bouffonne (person acting in a silly fashion) · ko 광대 (performance artist working in a circus) · sq gaztor (performance artist working in a circus) · ro paiață (person acting in a silly fashion) · mr जोकर (performance artist working in a circus) · ar مُهَرِّج (performance artist working in a circus) · yi פּאַיאַץ (performance artist working in a circus) · aeb كلون (performance artist working in a circus) · ru кло́ун (person acting in a silly fashion) · ur مَخَولِیا (person acting in a silly fashion) · mk шут (person acting in a silly fashion) · nb bajas (performance artist working in a circus) · fr pitre (performance artist working in a circus) · is trúður (performance artist working in a circus) · pt palhaça (performance artist working in a circus) · arz بلياتشو (performance artist working in a circus) · mk кловн (performance artist working in a circus) · ast payasu (person acting in a silly fashion) · sh klovn (performance artist working in a circus) · ps دوړه مار (person acting in a silly fashion) · ja ピエロ (performance artist working in a circus) · id badut (person acting in a silly fashion) · uk кло́ун (performance artist working in a circus) · yi פּאַיאַץ (person acting in a silly fashion) · pl pajac (person acting in a silly fashion) · ky клоун (performance artist working in a circus) · hy կլոուն (performance artist working in a circus) · is glanni (person acting in a silly fashion) · ko 광대 (person acting in a silly fashion) · af nar (person acting in a silly fashion) · tk masgarabaz (performance artist working in a circus) · nv haashchʼéídóó (performance artist working in a circus) · it pagliaccia (performance artist working in a circus) · uk кло́ун (person acting in a silly fashion) · hy խեղկատակ (person acting in a silly fashion) · fr bouffon (person acting in a silly fashion) · sh кла̏ун (performance artist working in a circus) · my လူပြက် (performance artist working in a circus) · lv klauns (performance artist working in a circus) · mn инээлгэгч (performance artist working in a circus) · cmn 小丑 (performance artist working in a circus) · nb klovn (performance artist working in a circus) · gl pallaso (performance artist working in a circus) · nrf bouffon (person acting in a silly fashion) · pt palhaço (performance artist working in a circus) · ur جوکَر (performance artist working in a circus) · be клоўн (performance artist working in a circus) · af hanswors (person acting in a silly fashion) · it clown (performance artist working in a circus) · tg масхарабоз (performance artist working in a circus) · eo klaŭnino (performance artist working in a circus) · mn алиалагч (performance artist working in a circus) · hy ծաղրածու (performance artist working in a circus) · uz masxaraboz (person acting in a silly fashion) · es clon (performance artist working in a circus) · la scurra (performance artist working in a circus) · fr idiote (person acting in a silly fashion) · bg кло́ун (performance artist working in a circus) · fa-ira دَلْقَک (performance artist working in a circus) · arz بهلوان (performance artist working in a circus)