jester

noun

jest·​er ˈje-stər 

1

: fool sense 2a

2

: one given to jests

Synonyms

• card
• comedian
• comic
• droll
• farceur
• funnyman
• gagger
• gagman
• gagster
• humorist
• joker
• jokester
• wag
• wit

Examples of jester in a Sentence

a gentle jester, the cartoonist more often tries to evoke a broad smile than a hearty guffaw

the king called for some much-needed entertainment from his jester

Recent Examples on the Web

The show must go on for Fielder, however, who in one of the funniest stretches of the episode studies the congressional testimony of other Hollywood jesters to see how he could be taken seriously. —Scott Tobias, Vulture, 19 May 2025

His Nineties art-punk jesters Lifter Puller never made a ripple outside the Twin Cities. —Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 6 Apr. 2025

Instead of cars on Marshall Street, attendees will find more than 75 artisans and performers — including a fairy trading post, storytellers and a court jester — and a mead pop-up bar. —Karri Peifer, Axios, 5 Mar. 2025

Bailey, deft and playful, chooses to be his own antic, a droll and often hostile jester. —Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English gestour "reciter of romances, minstrel, entertainer," from gesten "to recite romances" + -our -er entry 2 — more at jest entry 2

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for jester

• ester
• esther
• fester
• nester
• nestor
• pester
• prester
• quaestor
• tester
• wester
• yester
• ancestor

Kids Definition

jester

noun

jest·​er ˈjes-tər 

1

: fool entry 1 sense 2

court jester

2

: a person given to jests