Clown
/klaʊn/noun
A comic performer or a foolish, awkward person.
Did you know?The word likely began as a dialect term for a rustic or clumsy person, and only later became the name of the painted circus comedian we recognize today.
Etymological Timeline
16th Century
English
clown
“a rustic, clumsy, or awkward fellow”
16th Century
Scandinavian dialects
klunni / klown
“a clumsy person, bumpkin”
Middle Low German
Middle Low German
klōne
“clumsy fellow; peasant”
Early Modern English
English
clown
“a foolish rustic or buffoon on the stage”
Modern English
English
clown
“a comic performer; by extension, a foolish person”