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View synonyms for Punchinello

Punchinello

[ puhn-chuh-nel-oh ]

noun

, plural Pun·chi·nel·los, Pun·chi·nel·loes.
  1. a grotesque or absurd chief character in a puppet show of Italian origin: the prototype of Punch.
  2. any similarly grotesque or absurd person or thing.


Punchinello

/ ˌpʌntʃɪˈnɛləʊ /

noun

  1. a type of clown from Italian burlesque or puppet shows, the prototype of Punch
  2. sometimes not capital any grotesque or absurd character
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


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Word History and Origins

Origin of Punchinello1

1660–70; < Italian (Naples dial.) polecenella character in the puppet show, diminutive of polecana turkey-cock chick < Late Latin pullicēnus, derivative of Latin pullus pullet
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Word History and Origins

Origin of Punchinello1

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

Punch and Punchinello, or Pierre and Pierrot are the father and the son of the ancient holy-days or holidays.

Here and there a small group gazed at the performances of Punchinello; a few equipages drove along its centre way.

It was as though a parrot or a punchinello spoke, and sentences which were unexpected could not be understood.

But any though he is, he is as capable of devotion to his Columbine as Punchinello, and remains faithfully mated year after year.

She had been angry with Glyde, but now could think of him as "poor Struan," Punchinello in a rustic comedy.

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