harlequinade
- noun
- /ˌhɑr.lɪ.kɪˈneɪd/
- Archaic
- Light from the hall glowed in a harlequinade of jeweled colors through the lozenges of stained glass set into the panel above the doorway, red and green and blue and gold.
Examples
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The classic panto featured a harlequinade that showcased comic skits and exaggerated characters.
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I preside over a little harlequinade called the Contest of Champions.
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It's about Harlequinade.
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The Harlequinade?
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She also occasionally sang French songs, and her greatest American success (judging by its frequency in her repertoire) seems to have been as Columbine, the nonspeaking female lead in the winter holiday season's harlequinades.
Academic text (2016) -
The children's performance was a delightful harlequinade full of laughter and playful antics.
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During the festival, the troupe put on a vibrant harlequinade that entertained audiences of all ages.
Synonyms
Light, silly behavior that is not serious
Acting in a silly way to make people laugh
Clown-like, silly actions meant to make people laugh
Playful, foolish behavior that tries to make people laugh
Funny performance by a clown with acts and physical tricks
How Comic
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
The word harlequinade comes from the comic character Harlequin, a colourful trick-playing clown from old Italian theatre, and the ending -ade, which turns a name into a 'show'. So, a harlequinade is a 'show' of 'clowning' or 'foolish behaviour'.