Punchinello

n., pl., -los, or -loes.

1. The short fat buffoon or clown in an Italian puppet show.
2. One who resembles a short fat clown.

[Variant of Polichinello, from Italian dialectal Pollecinella, diminutive of pollecena, turkey pullet (from the resemblance between its beak and Punchinello's nose), ultimately from Latin pullus, young chicken. See pullet.]

(pun-chuh-NEL-o)

noun
1. A short, fat buffoon, principal character in an Italian puppet show.
2. A grotesque person.

Etymology
From Italian (Naples dialect) polecenella (a character in Italian puppet shows), diminutive of pollecena (turkey pullet), ultimately from Latin pullus (young chicken). From the resemblance of punchinello's nose to a turkey's beak.

Usage
"Unlike Mr. Donahue, she doesn't automatically sympathize with every oddball and Punchinello who feels mistreated by `straight society' (a phrase, believe it or not, that still rolls off Mr. Donahue's tongue)." — Martha Bayles, Oprah vs. Phil: Warmth Wins Out, The Wall Street Journal (New York), Jan 26, 1987.

---

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)