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noun

jester

JEHS-tuh

Jester (noun) means Historically, an entertainer employed by a royal or noble court to amuse people with jokes, music, and clowning. Example: “The jester juggled and told riddles to entertain the king's guests.”

noun
1
Historically, an entertainer employed by a royal or noble court to amuse people with jokes, music, and clowning.
"The jester juggled and told riddles to entertain the king's guests."
2
Someone who habitually jokes around or clowns for attention.
"He played the jester at every family gathering, always ready with a punchline."

How to use jester

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA professional joker at a medieval court, or, more generally, someone who's always clowning around.

Common pairings
court jester act the jester

Word forms

jestered past tense, jesters plural, Jesters plural, jesters singular

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The _____ juggled and told riddles to entertain the king's guests.

Etymology

From Middle English gestour; equivalent to jest + -er.

Origin: Middle English

clown joker fool jestress fiddle joculator joculatrix merryman motley fool railleur

Related words

Rhymes for jester

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Frequently asked questions

What does “jester” mean?

The word “jester” means historically, an entertainer employed by a royal or noble court to amuse people with jokes, music, and clowning. In plain terms, a professional joker at a medieval court, or, more generally, someone who's always clowning around.

How do you pronounce “jester”?

“Jester” is pronounced JEHS-tuh (/ˈd͡ʒɛs.tɚ/ in IPA).

How do you use “jester” in a sentence?

Here is “jester” used in a sentence: “The jester juggled and told riddles to entertain the king's guests.”

What is another word for “jester”?

Words with a similar meaning to “jester” include clown, joker, fool, jestress, fiddle and joculator.

What part of speech is “jester”?

“Jester” is a noun.

How many meanings does “jester” have?

“Jester” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: historically, an entertainer employed by a royal or noble court to amuse people with jokes, music, and clowning.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial · etymology from Wiktionary