clowny

English

Etymology

clown +‎ -y

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /klaʊni/
• Rhymes: -aʊni

Noun

clowny (plural clownies)

1. (informal) Something or someone who acts in a clownlike manner.

Adjective

clowny (comparative clownier, superlative clowniest)

1. (informal) Acting in a clownlike manner.
2. (informal) Resembling or characteristic of a clown.
   • 1986, Leila Albala, “Clowns”, in Easy Halloween Costumes for Children, 2nd edition, Chambly, Que.: ALPEL, →ISBN, page 60:

     Second clown has a basecap (pattern W-6); sew craft yarn hair around lower edge. Clowny face paint. Huge bow under chin: Cut it from cardboard, paint with bright polkadots, or glue fabric on it; elastic strap around neck. Baggy pants (pattern M-1); plastic tube or stiff wire through waist casing.

   • 1990, John Hersey, “Fling”, in Fling and Other Stories, New York, N.Y.: Alfred A. Knopf, →ISBN, page 54:

     When Meredith was small he had a cloth bear with a painted clowny face, and it got too ratty for words, and I sent it to the cleaners, and it came back blank, so I got Tilman Furness, he did those smashingly clever illustrations for children’s books, he was a bit of a flit but he was the absolute tops in his line, to paint a new face on it, […]

   • 2011, William R. Brown, chapter 18, in Nika: The Adventures of a (Not So) Dumb Polish Girl, [Charleston, S.C.]: [CreateSpace], published 2012 February, →ISBN, page 196:

     He is smiling at me, and he offers me a piece of the snack thing he is eating which is some kind of orange cracker with orange cheese in it that makes his lips and mouth look like he used glowing clowny paint.