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zany (adjective, noun):

adjective

: very eccentric

noun

1: a subordinate clown or acrobat in old comedies who mimics ludicrously the tricks of the principal
2archaic : a person who fawns over another person : a servile follower : toady
3: one who acts the buffoon to amuse others

Source : Merriam -Webster

Etymology : Most of us are likely familiar with zany as an adjective, meaning “eccentric.” But 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.

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