jester
Monarch's hired buffoon
A jester is a professional entertainer employed by medieval and Renaissance courts to amuse royalty with jokes, songs, acrobatics, and witty commentary.
Jesters often wore motley (multicolored clothing) and carried a mock scepter called a bauble.
Their role granted unusual license to mock the powerful: Only the jester dared tell the king the truth.
Today, jester describes anyone who acts the fool for entertainment, or dismissively, someone not to be taken seriously: He's just the office jester.
Varied, incongruous mixture
- baubleShowy, worthless ornament
- coxcombVain, foolish man
- parti-coloredHaving multiple distinct colors
- harlequinMasked comic servant character
tunic · tights · doublet · jerkin · bells · patchwork · ruff · mask
Unwise, gullible person
- buffoonLudicrous, clumsy fool
- clownComedic performer in makeup
- jugglerMulti-object thrower-catcher
- acrobatAgile circus performer
tumbler · jongleur · mummer · performer · trickster · prankster · showman · harlequin
Male crowned ruler
- queenMost powerful chess piece
- monarchHereditary supreme ruler
- throneCeremonial chair for sovereigns
- castleFortified medieval residence
banquet · feast · courtier · nobility · royal · patronage · favor · medieval
Amusing quality
- witClever, inventive humor
- jokeHumorous statement seeking laughter
- quipBrief, clever remark
- prankPlayful trick on someone
gag · wisecrack · banter · mockery · parody · satire · farce · slapstick
One who speaks accurately
- criticOne who judges merit
- subversiveSeeking to undermine authority
- provocateurOne who deliberately incites
- irreverenceDisregard for what's honored
holy fool · trickster · wisdom · insight · commentary · dissent · folly · mirror
motley
Varied, incongruous mixture
- baubleShowy, worthless ornament
- coxcombVain, foolish man
- parti-coloredHaving multiple distinct colors
harlequin · tunic · tights · doublet · jerkin · bells · patchwork · ruff · mask · garters
fool
Unwise, gullible person
acrobat · tumbler · jongleur · mummer · performer · trickster · prankster · showman · harlequin · zany
king
Male crowned ruler
castle · banquet · feast · courtier · nobility · royal · patronage · favor · medieval · renaissance
humor
Amusing quality
prank · gag · wisecrack · banter · mockery · parody · satire · farce · slapstick · buffoonery
truth-teller
One who speaks accurately
- criticOne who judges merit
- subversiveSeeking to undermine authority
- provocateurOne who deliberately incites
irreverence · holy fool · trickster · wisdom · insight · commentary · dissent · folly · mirror · counsel
- comedy termsjokes, puns, wit, sarcasm, irony
- Old Jobsblacksmith, farrier, wheelwright, chandler, apothecary
- princely courtsthrone room, courtiers, royal advisors, nobles, ladies-in-waiting
- Royal Courtscaliph, French court, courtier, vizier, courtiers
- stock charactersvillain, sidekick, hero, damsel in distress, fool
- medieval entertainersminstrel, jongleur, troubadour, juggler, fool
jestersage
Wisdom keeper or seasoning
advisor · counselor · wise man · statesman · philosopher
- court jestersRoyal entertainers in caps
- in jestIn a joking manner
- said in jest
- jester hatCourt entertainer's headpiece
- medieval jestersRoyal household comedians
- Infinite JestLimitless source of amusement