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The word for today is…
antic (noun, adjective):
noun
1: an attention-drawing, often wildly playful or funny act or action : caper —usually plural
2 archaic : a performer of a grotesque or ludicrous part : buffoon
adjective
1a: characterized by clownish extravagance or absurdity
b: whimsically lighthearted : frolicsome
2 archaic : grotesque, bizarre
Source : Merriam -Webster
Etymology : When referring to one of the grotesques—the fanciful, often fantastical mural paintings found in the ruins of ancient Roman buildings—the Italian descendants of the ancient Romans used the word antico, meaning “ancient thing.” In 16th-century English, antico (itself a descendant of the Latin word for “ancient,” antiquus) became antic, and got applied as both a noun and an adjective in contexts related to decorative art—sculptures, painting, architecture, etc.—inspired by the original grotesques. Antic shifted in meaning over time, eventually gaining the senses we use more often today: antic as an adjective describes the absurd or whimsical, and antic as a usually plural noun refers to attention-grabbing, playful or funny acts and actions.
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