Baffoonery
/bəˈfuːnəri/noun
Obsolete or variant spelling of buffoonery, meaning foolish or clownish behavior.
Did you know?Its ancestor, Italian buffone, referred to a court jester or comic performer, figures who could mock rulers under the protection of humor.
Etymological Timeline
16th Century
Italian
buffone
“A jester, clown, or comic performer; literally associated with buffare, “to jest or play the buffoon.””
16th Century
French
bouffon
“A buffoon or jester, borrowed from Italian.”
16th–17th Century
English
buffoon
“A clownish or ridiculous person, especially a professional entertainer.”
17th Century
English
buffoonery
“Clownish behavior, comic foolishness, or the performance of a buffoon.”
17th–18th Century
English
baffoonery
“An alternative or nonstandard spelling of buffoonery.”
Modern English
English
baffoonery
“Rare and chiefly historical variant spelling of “buffoonery.””