1 jester | Definition of jester

jester

noun
jest·​er | \ ˈje-stÉ™r How to pronounce jester (audio) \

Definition of jester

2 : one given to jests

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Examples of jester in a Sentence

a gentle jester, the cartoonist more often tries to evoke a broad smile than a hearty guffaw the king called for some much-needed entertainment from his jester

Recent Examples on the Web

Historically, jesters and clowns have been a vehicle for satire and for poking fun at powerful people. Frank T. Mcandrew, Quartzy, "The psychology behind why we find clowns so creepy," 6 Sep. 2019 As Rigoletto, the Duke’s jester, Roland Wood used a ventriloquist’s dummy for his nasty jibes, supposedly to separate his performance persona from his secret life as the loving and overprotective father of Gilda. Heidi Waleson, WSJ, "Opera Theatre of Saint Louis Review: Wrenching Drama and Vicious Satire," 25 June 2019 Climbing in proved awkward with the mini skirt of my court jester costume. Los Angeles Times, "L.A. Affairs: I was rusty at this dating thing. Could I get past my nerves and get back in the game?," 17 Aug. 2019 O’Brien explained to Kelvin Sisa, a rising senior at Codman who played the king’s loyal jester. Marella Gayla, BostonGlobe.com, "After a schooling in ‘King Lear,’ Codman Academy students can take a bow," 1 Aug. 2019 Everyone views him as a jester, a washed up has-been. SI.com, "4 Steps Manchester United Need to Take to Become Great Again," 12 July 2019 The frill around the jester's neck appears to ruffle in the wind. Jennifer Billock, Smithsonian, "There’s a Massive Jester Floating on Austria’s Lake Constance," 15 July 2019 Everyone’s a court jester now, eager to expose the foibles of kings and queens. David Von Drehle, The Denver Post, "Guest Commentary: Mad magazine is dying — maybe we should worry," 7 July 2019 The oft-quotable Fisher then held court for about the next 30 minutes, in helping to make up for the losses of resident league jesters Steve Spurrier, Bret Bielema and Les Miles in recent years. Brent Zwerneman, ExpressNews.com, "SEC Media Days: 5 Takeaways from Day 2," 16 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'jester.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of jester

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for jester

Middle English gestour "reciter of romances, minstrel, entertainer," from gesten "to recite romances" + -our -er entry 2 — more at gest entry 2

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More Definitions for jester

jester

noun

English Language Learners Definition of jester

: a man who in the past was kept by a ruler to amuse people by acting silly and telling jokes

jester

noun
jest·​er | \ ˈjes-tÉ™r How to pronounce jester (audio) \

Kids Definition of jester

: a person formerly kept in royal courts to amuse people

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More from Merriam-Webster on jester

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with jester

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for jester

Spanish Central: Translation of jester

Nglish: Translation of jester for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of jester for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about jester