zany

English

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈzeɪni/, SAMPA: /'zeIni/
• Rhymes: -eɪni

Etymology

From Italian zanni (a kind of masked clown character), itself (when capitalized) a dialectal form of Giovanni.

Adjective

zany (comparative zanier, superlative zaniest)

1. ludicrously or incongruously comical
2. bizarre, clownish

Synonyms

• wacky

Derived terms

• zaniness

Translations

ludicrously or incongruously comical

Czech: bláznivý (cs) m. Finnish: hullunkurinen (fi) French: loufoque (fr) Irish: craiceáilte (ga), gealtach (ga)

Italian: demenziale (it) Norwegian: ellevill (no) Spanish: alocado (es), disparatado (es)

Noun

zany (plural zanies)

1. (obsolete) A fool or clown.
   • 1898, J. Meade Falkner, Moonfleet Chapter 4

     So as I lay on the ground with my ear glued close against the wall, who should march round the church but John Trenchard, Esquire, not treading delicately like King Agag, or spying, but just come on a voyage of discovery for himself. For in the church on Sunday, when we heard the tapping in the vault below, my young gentleman was scared enough; but afterwards, being told by Parson Glennie — who should know better — that such noises were not made by ghosts, but by the Mohunes at sea in their coffins, he plucks up heart, and comes down on the Monday to see if they are still afloat. So there he caught me lying like a zany on the ground. You may guess I stood at attention soon enough, but told him I was looking at the founds to see if they wanted underpinning from the floods.