51³Ô¹Ï

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View synonyms for

zany

[zey-nee]

adjective

zanier, zaniest 
  1. ludicrously or whimsically comical; clownish.



noun

plural

zanies 
  1. one who plays the clown or fool in order to amuse others.

  2. a comically wild or eccentric person.

    Synonyms: , ,
  3. a secondary stock character in old comedies who mimicked his master.

  4. a professional buffoon; clown.

  5. a silly person; simpleton.

  6. a slavish attendant or follower.

zany

/ ˈ³ú±ðɪ²Ôɪ /

adjective

  1. comical in an endearing way; imaginatively funny or comical, esp in behaviour

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a clown or buffoon, esp one in old comedies who imitated other performers with ludicrous effect

  2. a ludicrous or foolish person

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other 51³Ô¹Ï Forms

  • zanily adverb
  • zaniness noun
  • zanyism noun
  • zanyish adjective
  • ˈ³ú²¹²Ô²â¾±²õ³¾ noun
  • ˈ³ú²¹²Ô¾±²Ô±ð²õ²õ noun
  • ˈ³ú²¹²Ô¾±±ô²â adverb
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51³Ô¹Ï History and Origins

Origin of zany1

1560–70; (< Middle French ) < Italian zan ( n ) i (later zanno ) a servant character in the commedia dell’arte, perhaps originally the character's name, the Upper Italian form of Tuscan Gianni, for Giovanni John
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51³Ô¹Ï History and Origins

Origin of zany1

C16: from Italian zanni, from dialect (Venice and Lombardy) Zanni, nickname for Giovanni John; one of the traditional names for a clown
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The Georgia couple gained popularity for their USA Network series, which showcased their luxurious lifestyle and zany family dynamic.

From

It has also had mixed reviews, being described as "jovial, zany, and sweet" by the Daily Beast, but a "mind-numbing abomination" by the Times.

From

But does a film like “Another Simple Favor†need the peak of its action to be the best part when so many zany, outrageous things have left us gawking and in awe?

From

In “Gatz,†the novel’s narrative texture was conveyed through zany approximation — the troupe finding Fitzgerald not by effacing itself but by embracing its eccentric difference.

From

But the show’s zany side has more in common with one of Shakespeare’s early rollicking comedies — “The Taming of the Shrew†en route to becoming “Kiss Me, Kate,†perhaps.

From

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