noun · verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/bəˈfuːn/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -uːn
CMU ARPABET:B AH0 F UW1 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
One who performs in a silly or ridiculous fashion; a clown or fool.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
An unintentionally ridiculous person.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: derogatory
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To behave like a buffoon
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
a person who amuses others by ridiculous behavior
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
From Middle French bouffon, from Italian buffone (“jester”), from buffare (“to puff out the cheeks”), of onomatopoeic origin. Compare Middle High German buffen ("to puff"; > German büffen), Old English pyffan (“to breathe out, blow with the mouth”). More at English puff.
Across languages
Translations
72 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
مُهَرِّج
(muharrij)
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Belarusian:
бла́зан
(blázan)
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Bulgarian:
шут
(šut)
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Bulgarian:
паля́чо
(paljáčo)
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Chinese Mandarin:
小丑
(xiǎochǒu)
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Czech:
kašpar
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Czech:
šašek
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Czech:
klaun
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Dutch:
clown
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Esperanto:
bufono
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Finnish:
ilveilijä
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Finnish:
narri
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Finnish:
pelle
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
French:
bouffon
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Galician:
bufón
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Galician:
alvardán
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
German:
Hanswurst
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
German:
Kasper
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Ancient Greek:
γελωτοποιός
(gelōtopoiós)
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Hindi:
मसख़रा
(masxarā)
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Hindi:
भाँड
(bhā̃ḍ)
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Hungarian:
pojáca
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Hungarian:
ripacs
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Ingrian:
petruška
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Irish:
abhlóir
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Irish:
drúth
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Irish:
fuirseoir
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Irish:
miodhlach
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Irish:
óinmhid
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Italian:
pagliaccio
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Italian:
buffone
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Macedonian:
шут
(šut)
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Macedonian:
палја́чо
(paljáčo)
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Māori:
heahea
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Iranian Persian:
شوت
(šut)
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Iranian Persian:
مَسْخَرِه
(masxare)
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Plautdietsch:
Noa
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Polish:
pajac
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Polish:
błazen
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Portuguese:
palhaço
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Portuguese:
bufão
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Romanian:
bufon
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Russian:
шут
(šut)
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Russian:
пая́ц
(pajác)
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Russian:
скоморо́х
(skomoróx)
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Russian:
фигля́р
(figljár)
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Russian:
буффо́н
(buffón)
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Sicilian:
buffuni
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Spanish:
bufón
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Swedish:
pajas
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Ottoman Turkish:
میمون
(maymun)
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Ukrainian:
бла́зень
(blázenʹ)
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Ukrainian:
кло́ун
(klóun)
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Urdu:
مَسْخَرَہ
(masxara)
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Urdu:
مَسْخَرا
(masxarā)
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Urdu:
بھانْڈ
(bhānḍ)
— one who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion
Chinese Mandarin:
活寶 /活宝
(huóbǎo)
— unintentionally ridiculous person
Czech:
šašek
— unintentionally ridiculous person
Czech:
kašpar
— unintentionally ridiculous person
Dutch:
sufferd
— unintentionally ridiculous person
Finnish:
narri
— unintentionally ridiculous person
Finnish:
mäntti
— unintentionally ridiculous person
German:
Narr
— unintentionally ridiculous person
German:
Närrin
— unintentionally ridiculous person
Swedish:
pajas
— unintentionally ridiculous person
Swedish:
fjant
— unintentionally ridiculous person
Finnish:
pelleillä
— to behave like buffoon
Finnish:
ilveillä
— to behave like buffoon
German:
kaspern
— to behave like buffoon
German:
herumkaspern
— to behave like buffoon
Macedonian:
се глупи́ра
(se glupíra)
— to behave like buffoon
Macedonian:
се ше́гува
(se šéguva)
— to behave like buffoon
