zany

1 of 2

adjective

za·ny ˈzā-nē

zanier; zaniest

Synonyms of zany next

: very eccentric (see eccentric entry 1 sense 1a) or absurd (see absurd entry 1 sense 1) often in an amusing way

a zany comedy

the movie's zany characters/antics/humor

another one of his zany ideas

archaic : being or having the characteristics of a zany

zanily

ˈzā-nə-lē

adverb

zaniness

ˈzā-nē-nəs

noun

zany

2 of 2

noun

plural zanies

: a subordinate clown or acrobat in old comedies who mimics ludicrously the tricks of the principal : merry-andrew

archaic : a person who fawns over another person : a servile follower : toady

… must have known the falsehood of the slander which they encouraged their zanies to propagate.—

William Gifford

: one who acts the buffoon to amuse others

: nut, kook

Did you know?

The oddballs among us are likely familiar with zany as an adjective, meaning "eccentric." But did you know the word originated as a noun—one that has withstood the test of time? Zanies have been theatrical buffoons since the heyday of the Italian commedia dell’arte, in which a "zanni" was a stock servant character, often an intelligent and proud valet with abundant common sense and a love of practical jokes. Zanni comes from a dialect nickname for Giovanni, the Italian form of John. The character quickly spread throughout European theater circles, inspiring such familiar characters as Pierrot and Harlequin, and by the late 1500s an anglicized version of the noun zany was introduced to English. The adjective appeared within decades, and eventually both adopted more general meanings to refer to or describe those of us who are quipsters and weirdos.

Examples of zany in a Sentence

Adjective a zany plan to drive cross-country on a motorized scooter Noun hired a zany to entertain the children at the birthday party one of the challenges of hosting a radio call-in program is preventing the zanies from completely taking over the discussion

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The film has a lot going for it, especially the lead performances from Driver and Gerwig, along with zany supporting turns by Don Cheadle, Jodie Turner-Smith, and André Benjamin. —

Janey Tracey, EW.com, 23 May 2024 Scorpio October 23 – November 21 A recent companion could be wild and zany in a way that draws you in. —

Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 8 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for zany

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'zany.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Italian zanni, a traditional masked clown, from Italian dialect Zanni, nickname for Italian Giovanni John

First Known Use

Adjective

1616, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1596, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler

The first known use of zany was in 1596

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Zany.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zany. Accessed 1 Jun. 2024.

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Kids Definition

zany

1 of 2 noun

za·ny ˈzā-nē

plural zanies

: clown entry 1 sense 2

: a silly or foolish person

zany

2 of 2 adjective

zanier; zaniest

: being, typical of, or resembling a zany

: very odd or unusual often in an amusing way

a zany movie

zanily

ˈzā-nə-lē

ˈzān-ᵊl-ē

adverb

zaniness

ˈzā-nē-nəs

noun

Last Updated: 30 May 2024 - Updated example sentences

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zany

adjective

noun

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Synonyms

Examples of zany in a Sentence

Word History

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Dictionary Entries Near zany

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition