French word

clownesque

Pronunciation

IPA/klunɛsk/

Meaning

  • adjectiveclownish

Example

Le spectacle était clownesque.

The show was clownish.

Illustration for clownesque (clownish)

More examples

Son rire était un peu clownesque.

His laugh was a little clownish.

Core concept

A comic figure in flashy, exaggerated motion whose awkwardness makes the scene feel out of place.

Common phrases

  • rire clownesque

    clownish laugh

  • voix clownesque

    clownish voice

  • attitude clownesque

    clownish attitude

Similar words

drôle: Mildly amusing and likely to prompt a light laugh.
comique: Creating laughter through a performance, expression, or situation.
ridicule: So foolish or contemptible that it becomes an object of ridicule.
grotesque: Strangely unnatural in appearance or behavior.

Definition in French

Qui présente des traits ou des gestes rappelant un clown, mêlant humour, exagération et parfois maladresse.

Word origin

French clownesque combines clown with the suffix -esque, from Italian -esco and ultimately a Latin suffix expressing resemblance or style.

Usage tips

  • Clownesque agrees in number but not gender, so the feminine form remains clownesque while the plural is clownesques.

Opposites

Related words

  • clownclownnoun
  • clownerieclowningnoun

Word lists with this word