bouffon

French

Etymology

Inherited from Middle French boufon, from Italian buffone.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bu.fɔ̃/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

bouffon m (plural bouffons, feminine bouffonne)

1. fool (person who entertained a sovereign)
2. buffoon, fool (someone foolish)

Derived terms

• bouffonner
• bouffonnerie

Adjective

bouffon (feminine bouffonne, masculine plural bouffons, feminine plural bouffonnes)

1. grotesque, silly, clownlike

Further reading

• “bouffon”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Middle French

Noun

bouffon m (plural bouffons)

1. Alternative form of boufon

Norman

Etymology

Borrowed from French bouffon, from Italian.

Noun

bouffon m (plural bouffons)

1. (Jersey) clown