buffoon
gb/bəfˈun/ us/bəfˈun/
C1
English
bohóc, pojáca
NOUN
C1
INFORMAL
1
Usage pattern:
[someone] is a buffoon; treat [someone] like a buffoon
He strutted into the meeting making loud jokes and came off as a buffoon.
Hangos vicceket eregetve masírozott be a megbeszélésre, és igazi bohócnak tűnt.
The article portrays the senator as a dangerous buffoon who shouldn’t be taken seriously.
A cikk a szenátort veszélyes bohócként ábrázolja, akit nem szabad komolyan venni.
Stop shouting over everyone—you’re making yourself look like a buffoon.
Learner examples
Don’t be a buffoon in class.
Ne viselkedj bohócként az órán.
He acted like a buffoon at the party.
Úgy viselkedett a buliban, mint egy bohóc.
Common mistake:
Often confused with a neutral word for a comedian; in modern use it is usually an insult.
Meaning
a ridiculous, foolish person
Collocations
a complete buffoon
|an absolute buffoon
|a pompous buffoon
|a self-important buffoon
|an arrogant buffoon
|a clumsy buffoon
|a political buffoon
|a drunken buffoon
|act like a buffoon
|look like a buffoon
Synonyms
fool (More general and often less sharp.)
|
clown (Emphasizes silly behavior; can also be playful.)
|
idiot (Stronger insult focused on lack of intelligence.)
|
jerk (Focuses more on rudeness than on silliness.)
Antonyms
sage (Someone known for wisdom and good judgment.)
|
professional (Someone who behaves competently and appropriately.)
Themes
people
|behavior
|humor
|insults
Definition
A buffoon is a person who acts very foolishly and looks silly.
A person who behaves in a stupid, awkward, or ridiculous way, often making themselves look silly.
NOUN
C2
LITERARY
2
bohóc
A2
Usage pattern:
a buffoon in [a play/show]
In the old comedy, the buffoon steals every scene with exaggerated gestures.
A régi vígjátékban a bohóc eltúlzott gesztusaival minden jelenetben viszi a prímet.
The troupe hired a buffoon to keep the audience laughing between acts.
A társulat egy bohócot fogadott fel, hogy a felvonások között is megnevettesse a közönséget.
Learner examples
The buffoon in the play made the children laugh.
A darab bohóca megnevettette a gyerekeket.
Common mistake:
This sense is less common in everyday English than the insulting sense.
Meaning
a clown-like comic performer
Collocations
a stage buffoon
|a comic buffoon
|a bawdy buffoon
|a theatrical buffoon
|a wandering buffoon
|a hired buffoon
Synonyms
clown (More common modern term; not necessarily insulting.)
|
jester (Often suggests a historical court entertainer.)
|
comedian (Neutral term; doesn’t imply crude clowning.)
Antonyms
tragedian (A performer associated with serious drama rather than comedy.)
Themes
arts
|theater
|humor
Definition
A buffoon can also mean a performer who makes people laugh by acting like a clown.
A comic entertainer whose act involves clowning, broad humor, and silly behavior, especially in traditional theatre or older writing.
Grammar
Dictionary form
buffoon
IPA
GB/bəfˈun/
US/bəfˈun/
Syllables & stress
buf - foon (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (foon)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: buffoon
- Plural: buffoons
Word family
Expressions
act the buffoon
1/ˈækt ðə bəfˈun/
idiom
informal
act like a clown
To act the buffoon means to behave very foolishly.
Examples
- He acted the buffoon during the ceremony, and people were embarrassed for him.
- She can be serious when she wants to, but she often acts the buffoon at parties.
Learner examples
- Please don’t act the buffoon.
court buffoon
1/kˈɔɹt bəfˈun/
fixed phrase
literary
entertainer kept by a ruler
A court buffoon is a person whose job is to entertain a king or ruler.
Examples
- In the novel, the court buffoon is the only one who can mock the king without punishment.
- Critics called him a court buffoon, always ready with a joke to please those in power.
Learner examples
- The king listened to the court buffoon.
make a buffoon of yourself
1/mˈeɪk ə bəfˈun əv jʊɹsˈɛlf/
fixed phrase
informal
make yourself look ridiculous
To make a buffoon of yourself means to do something that makes you look very silly.
Examples
- Don’t argue with the referee—you’ll only make a buffoon of yourself.
- He made a buffoon of himself by bragging about things everyone knew were false.
Learner examples
- I made a buffoon of myself at the interview.
play the buffoon
1/plˈeɪ ðə bəfˈun/
idiom
informal
behave in a silly way
To play the buffoon means to act silly like a clown.
Examples
- He plays the buffoon to hide how nervous he is.
- If you keep playing the buffoon, no one will trust you with serious work.
Learner examples
- He played the buffoon in front of his friends.