Standard Lemma guide

buffoonery

noun · 2 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Canada: /bəˈfuːnəɹi/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The behavior of a buffoon; foolishness, silliness.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

acting like a clown or buffoon

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: clowning, japery, frivolity, harlequinade, prank

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: folly, foolery, tomfoolery, craziness, lunacy, indulgence

Narrower terms: shtik, schtik, shtick, schtick

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English buffoon Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āzios Latin -āriusnom. Latin -ārius Old French -ier Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -ia Old French -ie Old French -eriebor. Middle English -erie English -ery English buffoonery From buffoon + -ery.

Across languages

Translations

24 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Czech: klauniáda — behaviour expected of a buffoon — see also foolishness, silliness, clownery
  • Finnish: pelleily — behaviour expected of a buffoon — see also foolishness, silliness, clownery
  • German: Clownerie — behaviour expected of a buffoon — see also foolishness, silliness, clownery
  • German: Hanswursterei — behaviour expected of a buffoon — see also foolishness, silliness, clownery
  • German: Hanswurstiade — behaviour expected of a buffoon — see also foolishness, silliness, clownery
  • German: Possenreißerei — behaviour expected of a buffoon — see also foolishness, silliness, clownery
  • Hungarian: bolondozás — behaviour expected of a buffoon — see also foolishness, silliness, clownery
  • Irish: abhlóireacht — behaviour expected of a buffoon — see also foolishness, silliness, clownery
  • Italian: pagliacciata — behaviour expected of a buffoon — see also foolishness, silliness, clownery
  • Macedonian: пала́вштина (palávština) — behaviour expected of a buffoon — see also foolishness, silliness, clownery
  • Macedonian: будала́штина (budaláština) — behaviour expected of a buffoon — see also foolishness, silliness, clownery
  • Old English: gafsprǣċ — behaviour expected of a buffoon — see also foolishness, silliness, clownery
  • Persian: شوت بازی (šut-bâzi) — behaviour expected of a buffoon — see also foolishness, silliness, clownery
  • Polish: bufonada — behaviour expected of a buffoon — see also foolishness, silliness, clownery
  • Polish: błazenada — behaviour expected of a buffoon — see also foolishness, silliness, clownery
  • Russian: буффона́да (buffonáda) — behaviour expected of a buffoon — see also foolishness, silliness, clownery
  • Russian: фигля́рство (figljárstvo) — behaviour expected of a buffoon — see also foolishness, silliness, clownery
  • Russian: клоуна́да (klounáda) — behaviour expected of a buffoon — see also foolishness, silliness, clownery
  • Russian: шутовство́ (šutovstvó) — behaviour expected of a buffoon — see also foolishness, silliness, clownery
  • Spanish: bufonería — behaviour expected of a buffoon — see also foolishness, silliness, clownery
  • Spanish: bufonada — behaviour expected of a buffoon — see also foolishness, silliness, clownery
  • Turkish: maskaralık — behaviour expected of a buffoon — see also foolishness, silliness, clownery
  • Turkish: soytarılık — behaviour expected of a buffoon — see also foolishness, silliness, clownery
  • Turkish: şaklabanlık — behaviour expected of a buffoon — see also foolishness, silliness, clownery