Definition

Noun: 1. A professional clown employed to entertain a king or nobleman in the Middle Ages: A "motley fool" refers to a jester or court jester, a performer whose role was to amuse and entertain a royal or aristocratic court during the medieval and Renaissance periods. The term "motley" describes the jester's traditional multi-colored, patchwork costume.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The king's motley fool lightened the mood in the court with his witty remarks and acrobatics.
  • In Shakespeare's plays, the motley fool often speaks truths that other characters dare not say.

Advanced Usage

• Historical/Literary Reference: The term is primarily used in historical or literary contexts to describe a specific type of entertainer from a past era. It is not used for modern clowns or comedians.
  • The character of the wise motley fool is a common archetype in European literature.

Variants and Related Words

• Jester (n): A direct synonym for "motley fool."
• Court jester (n): Another common term for the same role.
• Fool (n): Can be a more general term for a silly person or, in historical contexts, a shortened form of "motley fool" or "court fool."

Synonyms

• Jester
• Court jester
• Buffoon (though this can have a more derogatory connotation)
• Harlequin (a specific type of comic servant character from Italian commedia dell'arte)

Related Idioms

• To play the fool: To act in a silly or foolish manner.
  • Stop playing the fool and pay attention.
• A fool's errand: A pointless or hopeless task.
  • Trying to convince him was a fool's errand.

Noun

1. a professional clown employed to entertain a king or nobleman in the Middle Ages