VocabularyBasePractice words

Meaning & use

jester

noun·Academicold-fashioned

Last updated

UK/ˈdʒes.tər/
US/ˈdʒes.tɚ/

Meanings

  1. nouncountableold-fashioned

    A person in the past who was employed by a king or noble to entertain with jokes, music, and tricks.

    Grammar: Countable; used mainly in historical or fictional contexts.

    Patterns

    • court jester
    • the king's jester

    The court jester made the king laugh with his clever jokes.

    In the story, a jester secretly advised the queen.

    Medieval jesters often wore colorful clothes and bells.

  2. nouncountablefigurativehumorous

    A person who tells jokes or behaves in a silly way to amuse others.

    Grammar: Often used figuratively or humorously in modern English.

    Patterns

    • play the jester
    • act as a jester

    He was the office jester, always ready with a funny story.

    Don't be a jester; this is a serious meeting.

    She played the jester to lighten the mood.

Word forms

pluraljesters

Common combinations

court jester
The court jester entertained the royal family.
the king's jester
The king's jester was the only one who could mock him.
play the jester
He liked to play the jester at parties.

Synonyms and how they differ

fool
Historically a similar entertainer, but 'fool' can also mean a stupid person; 'jester' is more specific.
clown
A modern performer who does silly acts; 'jester' is mostly historical.
comedian
A professional who tells jokes; 'jester' suggests a royal or historical role.

Word family

jest noun
A joke or funny remark.
jest verb
To say something funny or not serious.

Commonly confused: jester or joker?

jester vs joker

A joker is someone who likes to tell jokes; a jester is a historical entertainer at court.

Practice

In medieval times, who entertained the king with jokes and music?

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “jester”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.

Explore more words