Definitions for harlequinˈhɑr lə kwɪn, -kɪn

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Random House Webster's College Dictionary

har•le•quinˈhɑr lə kwɪn, -kɪn(n.)

  1. (often cap.) a comic character in commedia dell'arte and the harlequinade, usu. masked, dressed in multicolored, diamond-patterned tights, and carrying a wooden sword or magic wand.

    Category: Showbiz, Literature

  2. a buffoon.

  3. (adj.)fancifully colorful.

Origin of harlequin:

1580–90; < F, MF (h)arlequin < It arlecchino < OF *harlequin, halequin a malevolent spirit, prob. < ME *Herla king, OE *Her(e)la cyning King Herle, presumably a legendary figure, rendered in AL as Herla rex

Princeton's WordNet

  1. harlequin(verb)

    a clown or buffoon (after the Harlequin character in the commedia dell'arte)

  2. harlequin(verb)

    variegate with spots or marks

    "His face was harlequined with patches"

Wiktionary

  1. harlequin(Noun)

    a pantomime fool, typically dressed in checkered clothes

  2. harlequin(Adjective)

    brightly coloured, especially in a pattern like that of a harlequin clown's clothes

  3. Origin: From hellekijn, then in hellequin and in Arlecchino, the name of a popular servant character in commedia dell'arte plays from * ultimately from Herleking, from Herla Cyning, a mythical figure identified with Woden.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Harlequin(noun)

    a buffoon, dressed in party-colored clothes, who plays tricks, often without speaking, to divert the bystanders or an audience; a merry-andrew; originally, a droll rogue of Italian comedy

  2. Harlequin(u)

    to play the droll; to make sport by playing ludicrous tricks

  3. Harlequin(verb)

    toremove or conjure away, as by a harlequin's trick

The Nuttall Encyclopedia

  1. Harlequin

    a character in a Christmas pantomime, in love with Columbine, presumed to be invisible, and deft at tricks to frustrate those of the clown, who is his rival lover.


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