harlequin

noun

har·​le·​quin ˈhär-li-k(w)ən 

1

a

capitalized : a character in comedy and pantomime with a shaved head, masked face, variegated tights, and wooden sword

b

: buffoon

2

a

: a variegated pattern (as of a textile)

b

: a combination of patches on a solid ground of contrasting color (as in the coats of some dogs)

Illustration of harlequin

• Harlequin

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History of Harlequin

When capitalized, Harlequin refers to a stock character of the Italian commedia dell’arte and subsequently the pantomime traditions of other nations. The character began in the 16th century as an unscrupulous comic servant, later became a faithful valet involved in amorous exploits, and ultimately evolved into a clownlike figure engaging in good-natured joking and amusing tricks. Harlequin’s outfit began as peasant clothes covered in bright patches and developed into a tight-fitting costume with bright triangles and diamond shapes and a black half-mask. Harlequin was the principal character of pantomime slapstick plays known as harlequinades.

Synonyms

• buffo
• buffoon
• clown
• zany

Examples of harlequin in a Sentence

among the court entertainers waiting to enter the grand hall were masked harlequins in brightly colored pantaloons

Recent Examples on the Web

In the evocative setting of the Tese delle Nappe event venue, Giorgio Armani, 89 years young, presented a reinterpretation of Armani Privé’s last Paris fashion show, which had a harlequin theme. —Pino Gagliardi, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Sep. 2023

Below was a dizzying spectrum: harlequin flashes of cobalt and hot pink, gold and silver, as clown fish, trevallies, and parrotfish zigzagged by in a flash. —Sunil Badami, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 July 2023

Some of the most memorable moments include Westwood experimenting with harlequin prints in 1989, and long before that, performers like David Bowie and Freddie Mercury wore outfits inspired by clowns. —Kristen Bateman, ELLE, 28 Mar. 2023

Choose from five different colors ranging from neutrals like brown and black to brighter pops like coral and turquoise, all in a harlequin pattern. —Jamie Weissman, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 June 2023

But Eve’s look ultimately saves her from the bottom, Pythia takes the prize (diamonds!!), and the bottom two is a face-off of two talented queens in gorgeous black and white looks: Icesis Couture serving harlequin and Océane Aqua-Black wearing the whole damn circus tent. —Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2021

Single common ravens at Lake Tashmoo and Edgartown, 10 black skimmers in Edgartown, a harlequin duck in Aquinnah, and a blue-gray gnatcatcher and a Northern parula in the vicinity of the Sheriff’s Meadow Sanctuary pond. —Isabela Rocha, BostonGlobe.com, 29 Apr. 2023

In the late 1980s, habitat destruction in the cloud forests, which carpet the lower slopes of the Ecuadorian Andes, caused catastrophe for the Atelopus genus, also known as harlequin frogs. —Gabe Allen, Discover Magazine, 4 Oct. 2022

Dior presented a fancy clown collar inspired by the wardrobe of Josephine Baker, while Armani Privé fully devoted itself to sparkling harlequin prints and patterns. —Kristen Bateman, ELLE, 28 Mar. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

ultimately from Italian arlecchino, from Middle French Helquin, a demon

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

harlequin

noun

har·​le·​quin ˈhär-li-k(w)ən 

1

: clown entry 1 sense 2

2

: a pattern of usually diamond-shaped figures of different colors

harlequin adjective