Meaning
clown
- a circus or party entertainer who wears comic clothes and makeup
- a ridiculous, irresponsible, or foolish person
In a sentence
I bambini ridevano per gli scherzi del pagliaccio.
The children laughed at the clown's jokes.
Smettila di fare il pagliaccio e comincia a studiare!
Stop clowning around and start studying!
Nessuno prende sul serio quel pagliaccio.
Nobody takes that clown seriously.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| pagliaccio | masculine · singular |
| pagliacci | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- Often used as a mild colloquial insult meaning 'fool' or 'buffoon'.
- The plural is pagliacci (with a single 'i').