Link Centre Dictionary

harlequin

har·le·quin

UK/ˈhɑːlɪkwɪn/ US/ˈhɑɹlɪkwɪn/ rare informal
noun (1) verb (1)

noun

1.

a clown or buffoon (after the Harlequin character in the commedia dell''arte)

verb

1.

variegate with spots or marks

  • “His face was harlequined with patches”

Origin

From earlier Harlicken, from Middle French Harlequin (in Italian Arlecchino, the name of a popular servant character in commedia dell'arte plays), from Old French Harlequin, Halequin, Herlequin, Hellequin, Hierlekin, Hellekin (a demon, malevolent spirit), probably of Germanic origin, connected to the Old English figure of *Herla Cyning (“King Herla”, a mythical figure identified with Woden) or possibly to Old Frisian helle kin, Old English helle cyn, Old Norse heljar kyn (“the kindred of Hell”). Related to Middle English Hurlewain (“a mischievous sprite or goblin”).

Phrases

  • harlequin annual lupine
  • harlequin baby
  • harlequin bat
  • harlequin beetle
  • harlequin bug
  • harlequin cabbage bug
  • harlequin caterpillar
  • harlequin darter
  • harlequin duck
  • harlequin ice cream
  • harlequin ichthyosis
  • harlequin lady beetle

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.