The role, behavior, or qualities of being a clown; the art or practice of clowning.
From 'clown' (possibly from Scandinavian 'klunni,' a clumsy person, or from Late Latin 'colonus,' a rustic) plus '-ship' (suffix denoting office, rank, or state). The term emerged in the 16th-17th centuries.
Shakespeare's plays often featured 'clownship'—comic characters performing physical comedy and wordplay—and these clowns were so popular that they sometimes stole the show from the serious actors!
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