Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A stock character in commedia dell'arte and pantomime, depicted as a boastful coward or buffoon.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A buffoon in Italian comedy and farce, a cowardly braggadocio who is beaten by Harlequin. The character is often adopted in masquerades, with a dress usually of black, and grotesquely ornamented.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A personage in the old Italian comedy (derived from Spain) characterized by great boastfulness and poltroonery; hence, a person of like characteristics; a buffoon.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • proper noun Alternative form of Scaramouche.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a stock character in commedia dell'arte depicted as a boastful coward

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[French Scaramouche, from Italian Scaramuccia, from scaramuccia, skirmish; see sker- in Indo-European roots.]

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word Scaramouch.

Examples

  • Some are pretty easy there just aren't that many rock songs that actually have the word "Scaramouch" in the lyrics, but other will annoy over coffee.

    YesButNoButYes: And Great Lyrics Quiz Rock Roll The 2008

  • The ambassador was not dissatisfied with the impression he had made on one of the foreign correspondents of the "Chuck-Farthing," and the minister flattered himself that both the literary and the graphic representations of himself in "Scaramouch" might possibly for the future be mitigated.

    Endymion Benjamin Disraeli 1842

  • He wrote for 'Scaramouch' some little time, but they can stand it no more.

    Endymion Benjamin Disraeli 1842

  • They carried candles and wore masks: an eggshell face with antlers; a patchwork harlequin; a Casanova; a Scaramouch.

    The Faculty Club Danny Tobey 2010

  • They carried candles and wore masks: an eggshell face with antlers; a patchwork harlequin; a Casanova; a Scaramouch.

    The Faculty Club Danny Tobey 2010

  • They carried candles and wore masks: an eggshell face with antlers; a patchwork harlequin; a Casanova; a Scaramouch.

    The Faculty Club Danny Tobey 2010

  • They carried candles and wore masks: an eggshell face with antlers; a patchwork harlequin; a Casanova; a Scaramouch.

    The Faculty Club Danny Tobey 2010

  • They carried candles and wore masks: an eggshell face with antlers; a patchwork harlequin; a Casanova; a Scaramouch.

    The Faculty Club Danny Tobey 2010

  • You're killin me, Angus, you really are. said Scaramouch on May 19, 2008 11:47 AM.

    YesButNoButYes: Rods and Balls 2008

  • It's a little scary. said Scaramouch on February 27, 2008 2:28 PM.

    YesButNoButYes: Haterade's Idol Anal-ysis (Round of 20 Men) - 2/26/08 2008

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.