Punchinello

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Pun·chi·nel·lo

(pŭn′chə-nĕl′ō)

n. pl. Pun·chi·nel·los or Pun·chi·nel·loes

1. The short fat buffoon or clown in an Italian puppet show.

2. One who resembles a short fat clown.

[Variant of Polichinello, from Italian dialectal Pollecinella, diminutive of pollecena, turkey pullet (from the resemblance between its beak and Punchinello's nose), ultimately from Latin pullus, young chicken; see pullet.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Punchinello

(ˌpʌntʃɪˈnɛləʊ)

n, pl -los or -loes

1. (Theatre) a type of clown from Italian burlesque or puppet shows, the prototype of Punch

2. (sometimes not capital) any grotesque or absurd character

[C17: from earlier Polichinello, from Italian (Neapolitan dialect) Polecenella, from Italian pulcino chicken, ultimately from Latin pullus young animal]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

Pun•chi•nel•lo

(ˌpʌn tʃəˈnɛl oʊ)

n., pl. -los, -loes.

1. the grotesque or absurd chief character in a puppet show of Italian origin: the prototype of Punch.

2. any grotesque or absurd person.

[1660–70; dissimilated form of dial. Italian (Neapolitan) Policinella]

Translations

Punchinello

n → Pulcinella f; (= clown) → Hanswurst m

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

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References in classic literature ?

This thing, at a distance, could not be distinguished, and signified absolutely nothing; nearer, it was a hogshead muffled in gold-bound green cloth; when close, it was a man, or rather a poussa, the interior extremity of whom, spreading over the interior of the box, entirely filled it, when still closer, the man was Mousqueton -- Mousqueton, with gray hair and a face as red as Punchinello's.

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Sophia was charmed with the contemplation of so heroic an action, and began to compliment herself with much premature flattery, when Cupid, who lay hid in her muff, suddenly crept out, and like Punchinello in a puppet-show, kicked all out before him.

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He is neither a gentleman in manner nor in feeling, but a sort of buffoon, a punchinello, a pantaloon.

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"You are lying," roared Raskolnikov without restraint, "you lie, you damned punchinello!" and he rushed at Porfiry who retreated to the other door, not at all alarmed.

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Among the performers was Punchinello - later evolving into Mr Punch - a descendant of 16th century Italian street theatre, Commedia dell Arte, which was performed by human actors.

Ruffian began life in Pepys' London picking on rich and famous before heading to seaside

These titles include the relatively long-running satiric magazine Figaro in London (1831-1839) and shorter-lived tides, such as Punchinello (1832) and Douglas Jerrold's Punch in London (1832).

Whim and Whipping: Satire and the Great Reform Act in Scottish Periodical Poetry

We Brits mispronounced it as Punchinello - Punch for short.

Stuff Boris in the mincer that's the way to do it! HISTORIC PUNCH & JUDY SHOW GET TS A MODERN TWIST; EXCLUSIVE

One of the artist's beloved and playful pen and brown ink and wash drawings from the series illustrating the life of the Commedia dell'Arte character Punchinello, The Country School offered a particularly lively and complex scene.

Review

PUNCHINELLO For all my wanton aggressive traits, I blame the watching of puppet shows, On Lime Street when I was eight, Where, safely anchored by parental hands, And wedged between the doughnut sellers, And gaseous hot dog stands, Through my sticky pink strands of candy floss, I spied...

Your Poem

The march Punchinello opened the evening followed by Festive Overture by Shostakovich, both played with real brio and certainly got the concert of to a bright start.