/pun'cheuh nel"oh/ , n. , pl. Punchinellos, Punchinelloes .
1. a grotesque or absurd chief character in a puppet show of Italian origin: the prototype of Punch.
2. any similarly grotesque or absurd person or thing.
[ 1660-70; polecenella character in the puppet show, dim. of polecana turkey-cock chick pullicenus, deriv. of L pullus PULLET ]