I. |bə|fün, _bəˈf- noun
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle French bouffon, from Old Italian buffone, from Medieval Latin bufon-, bufo, from Latin, toad — more at bufo
1.
a. : a man professionally engaged in entertaining others by tricks, gestures, or comic pantomime : jester , merry-andrew , clown ; broadly : comedian
b. : a person who strives for comical effects
2. : a gross and clownish person ; especially : one ill-educated or stupid
• buf·foon·ish -nish,-nēsh adjective
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
transitive verb
: to treat with buffoonery : ridicule , burlesque
intransitive verb
: to play the buffoon : behave like a buffoon