Harlequin Definition
härlĭ-kwĭn, -kĭn
noun
A traditional comic character in pantomime, who wears a mask and spangled, diamond-patterned tights of many colors and sometimes carries a wooden wand or sword.
Webster's New World
A clown; buffoon.
Webster's New World
adjective
Comic; ludicrous.
Webster's New World
Having a pattern of brightly colored diamond shapes.
American Heritage
Of many colors; colorful.
Webster's New World
verb
To remove or conjure away, as if by a harlequin's trick.
Wiktionary
(intransitive) To make sport by playing ludicrous tricks.
Wiktionary
Other Word Forms of Harlequin
Noun
Singular:
harlequin
Plural:
harlequinsOrigin of Harlequin
From Middle French Harlequin (in Italian Arlecchino, the name of a popular servant character in commedia dell'arte plays) from Old French *Harlequin, Halequin, Herlequin, Hellequin (“a demon, malevolent spirit”), connected to the Old English figure of Herla Cyning (“King Herla”), a mythical figure identified with Woden.
From Wiktionary
Obsolete French from Old French Herlequin, Hellequin a demon perhaps from Middle English Herleking from Old English Herla cyning King Herla, a mythical figure identified with Woden
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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