Harlequin
/ˈhɑːrləkwɪn/noun
A brightly dressed comic character originating in the Italian commedia dell’arte and later associated with theatrical pantomime.
Did you know?Medieval French texts connect Hellequin to a terrifying troop of dead or demonic riders, often interpreted as a version of the Wild Hunt; the modern costume came much later from Italian theater.
Etymological Timeline
Early Middle Ages
Germanic/Folklore
Hellequin
“A legendary or demonic figure associated with a nocturnal supernatural procession; the exact origin of the name is disputed.”
11th–12th Century
Old French
Herlequin
“A spectral or devilish figure appearing in medieval accounts of the Wild Hunt and related ghostly processions.”
13th Century
Old French
Herlequin
“A demon-like or folkloric character; the name also became associated with comic and theatrical figures.”
16th Century
Italian
Arlecchino
“A nimble servant character in commedia dell’arte, famous for physical comedy, improvisation, and a patched costume.”
17th–18th Century
French/English
Arlequin; harlequin
“A theatrical clown or comic servant, increasingly represented in a multicolored diamond-patterned costume.”
Modern English
English
harlequin
“A comic theatrical character or anything marked by strongly contrasting, multicolored patterns.”