A comic actor or buffoon; someone who acts in a silly or ridiculous manner for entertainment.
From French 'bouffon,' from Italian 'buffone,' which may derive from Latin 'buffo' or onomatopoeia related to buffing or puffing sounds. It entered English via French during the Renaissance.
The word 'buffoon' (from which 'bouffon' comes) literally comes from someone who puffs out their cheeks—medieval performers would actually distend their faces to make audiences laugh, which is why the word means someone who acts absurdly for a crowd.
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