buffoon

noun

buf·​foon (ˌ)bə-ˈfün 

1

: a ludicrous figure : clown

2

: a gross and usually ill-educated or stupid person

acting like a ridiculous buffoon

buffoonish

(ˌ)bə-ˈfü-nish 

adjective

Synonyms

• clown

Examples of buffoon in a Sentence

Stop acting like a buffoon.

the children at the birthday party giggled at the buffoon's silly tricks

Recent Examples on the Web

Capaldi himself was a phenomenal Doctor, bringing that trademark blend of grizzled warrior and cosmic buffoon, but his episodes were a bit hit-and-miss. —Richard Edwards, Space.com, 29 May 2025

Problematic to be sure, but also a very in-character move for an ignorant buffoon. —Ben Rosenstock, Time, 6 May 2025

Dylan Maxwell could easily have been an unsympathetic buffoon, but there’s a distinct love for (and in most cases, an appreciation of) the people behind the teen archetypes on display. —Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 20 May 2025

Read: Comedy’s most erudite buffoon Mulaney has many advantages at Netflix that his conventional-television peers don’t, however. —David Sims, The Atlantic, 7 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle French bouffon, from Old Italian buffone

First Known Use

1584, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for buffoon

• attune
• baboon
• balloon
• bassoon
• cartoon
• cocoon
• festoon
• gaboon
• harpoon
• immune
• impugn
• jejune

Kids Definition

buffoon

noun

buf·​foon (ˌ)bə-ˈfün 

1

: clown entry 1 sense 2

2

: a crude or stupid person