Extremely silly, exaggerated, and humorous in an unpredictable way; a silly or comical person who acts in wild or crazy ways for laughs.
From Italian 'zanni,' a stock character in Commedia dell'arte (medieval Italian theater) who was the bumbling servant and clown. The character's name probably derived from a nickname diminutive of 'Giovanni.'
The character of Zanni inspired not just the word 'zany' but probably influenced all of comedy afterward—he was the ancestor of every silly sidekick character in movies, cartoons, and sketches, making him one of history's most influential comedians.
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