Buffoons

/bəˈfuːnz/ noun

Definition

People who behave in a comical or silly way, often without intending to be funny; fools or clowns.

Etymology

From Italian 'buffone' meaning 'jester' or 'clown,' derived from 'buffa' meaning 'a puff' or 'jest,' with roots in onomatopoeia.

Kelly Says

Buffoons were essential to royal courts—they could criticize kings and get away with it because their foolishness was seen as performance, making them some of the most politically powerful people in medieval Europe.

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