different between buffoon vs assclown

English

Etymology

From Middle French bouffon, from Italian buffone (“jester”), from buffare (“to puff out the cheeks”), of unknown origin. Compare Middle High German buffen ("to puff"; > German büffen), Old English pyffan (“to breathe out, blow with the mouth”). More at English puff.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /b??fu?n/
• Rhymes: -u?n

Noun

buffoon (plural buffoons)

1. One who acts in a silly or ridiculous fashion; a clown or fool.
   • 1810, W. Melmoth (translator), Letters of Pliny

     To divert the audience with buffoon postures and antic dances.

2. (derogatory) An unintentionally ridiculous person.

Usage notes

• In the United States the term most commonly refers to inappropriate, clownish figures on the public stage; here the behavior of a variety of public figures have caused them to be referred to as buffoons by their political opponents.
• In the United Kingdom the term is used more broadly, to refer to such people who are retained in popular regard but who nevertheless engender amusement with their pronouncements and acts.

Derived terms

• buffoonery

Translations

Verb

buffoon (third-person singular simple present buffoons, present participle buffooning, simple past and past participle buffooned)

1. To behave like a buffoon

Translations

English

Etymology

ass +? clown

Pronunciation

• (General American, Canada) IPA^(key): /?æs?kla?n/

Noun

assclown (plural assclowns)

1. (Canada, US, slang, vulgar) A jerk; a buffoon; a person who is inept or ill-behaved to the point of being found laughable by others.
2. (Canada, US, slang, vulgar) A jerk; a buffoon; a person who uses his/her nature to bring humor to others, but ends up being the butt of a joke.
   • 2006, Brad Bauer, Hitting in the Clutch, iUniverse (2006), ?ISBN, page 141:

     I'm a little loaded, and this assclown behind me has bumped me four times in a row.

   • 2006, Megan McCafferty, Charmed Thirds, Three Rivers Press (2006), ?ISBN, page 261:

     "Pretentious, ambitionless assclown," I corrected.

   • 2012, Jef With One F, "5 Horrible Lessons Ender's Game Teaches Kids", Houston Press, 19 June 2012:

     Card is a raging homophobic assclown who believes that America should rise up violently and overthrow the government for any hint of support of same-sex marriage.

Derived terms

• assclownery

See also

• asshat

Anagrams

• Clawsons