adj · noun · verb · 8 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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/ˈzeɪni/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -eɪni
CMU ARPABET:Z EY1 N IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Unusual and awkward in a funny, comical manner; outlandish; clownish.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Ludicrously or incongruously comical.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A fool or clown, especially one whose business on the stage is to imitate foolishly the actions of the principal clown.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
To mimic foolishly.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
a buffoon in one of the old comedies; imitates others for ludicrous effect
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: clown, buffoon, goof, goofball, merry andrew
History
Etymology
From Middle French zani, zanni, from Italian zanni (“a kind of masked clown character”), from Zanni, a Venetian form of Giovanni. Doublet of Zanni, John, and Giovanni.
Across languages
Translations
64 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
أَحْمَق
(ʔaḥmaq)
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Arabic:
حَمْقَاء
(ḥamqāʔ)
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Arabic:
أهبل
(ahbal)
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Arabic:
هبلة
(habla)
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Belarusian:
сме́шны
(smjéšny)
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Bulgarian:
смешен
(smešen)
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Bulgarian:
палячовски
(paljačovski)
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Catalan:
esbojarrat
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Chinese Mandarin:
滑稽
(huájī)
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Czech:
bláznivý
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Dutch:
zot
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Esperanto:
frenezeta
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Finnish:
hullunkurinen
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
French:
loufoque
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
French:
farfelu
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Galician:
tolo
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Galician:
enxonias
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Galician:
tolandrán
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Galician:
reloucado
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Galician:
badío
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Galician:
tolitates
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
German:
verrückt
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
German:
durchgeknallt
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Greek:
γελωτοποιός
(gelotopoiós)
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Hungarian:
vicces
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Hungarian:
komikus
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Hungarian:
muris
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Hungarian:
röhejes
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Hungarian:
bolondos
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Hungarian:
habókos
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Hungarian:
buggyant
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Hungarian:
flúgos
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Hungarian:
félnótás
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Hungarian:
lökött
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Hungarian:
dilis
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Hungarian:
agyament
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Hungarian:
fura
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Hungarian:
furcsa
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Irish:
craiceáilte
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Irish:
gealtach
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Italian:
demenziale
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Macedonian:
будалест
(budalest)
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Norwegian:
ellevill
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Persian:
شفت
(šeft)
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Polish:
śmieszny
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Portuguese:
bobo
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Russian:
сумасше́дший
(sumasšédšij)
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Russian:
чумово́й
(čumovój)
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Russian:
смешно́й
(smešnój)
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Russian:
заба́вный
(zabávnyj)
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Russian:
поте́шный
(potéšnyj)
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Russian:
прико́льный
(prikólʹnyj)
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Russian:
фигля́рский
(figljárskij)
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Russian:
идио́тский
(idiótskij)
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Russian:
кло́унский
(klóunskij)
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Russian:
коми́ческий
(komíčeskij)
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Spanish:
alocado
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Spanish:
disparatado
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Spanish:
chiflado
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Swedish:
tokrolig
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Thai:
บ๊อง
(bɔ́ɔng)
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Thai:
ติงต๊อง
(dting-dtɔ́ng)
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Turkish:
kaçık
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
Turkish:
çatlak
— ludicrously or incongruously comical
