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| Date: | 1500-1600 |
| Origin: | Perhaps from French coulon 'someone who settles in a new country', from Latin colonus; COLONY |
1BOAP someone who wears funny clothes, a red nose, bright make-up on their face etc, and does silly things to make people laugh, especially at a circus
2 someone who often makes jokes or behaves in a funny way : 
Frankie's a bit of a clown.
Frankie's a bit of a clown. class clown (=someone in a school class who behaves in a funny or silly way)
3 a stupid or annoying person : I can't understand what she sees in that clown.
I can't understand what she sees in that clown.