Meaning of "harlequin" in the English dictionary

ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD HARLEQUIN

From Old French Herlequin, Hellequin leader of band of demon horsemen, perhaps from Middle English Herle king (unattested) King Herle, mythical being identified with Woden.

Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their changes in structure and significance.

PRONUNCIATION OF HARLEQUIN

harlequin  [ˈhɑːlɪkwɪn]

GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF HARLEQUIN

Harlequin can act as a noun and an adjective.

A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.

The adjective is the word that accompanies the noun to determine or qualify it.

WHAT DOES HARLEQUIN MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Harlequin

Harlequin is the most popularly known of the zanni or comic servant characters from the Italian Commedia dell'arte. It was introduced by the successful Italian actor Tristano Martinelli in the 1580s, and it became a stock character after Tristano's death in 1630. The derived genre of the Harlequinade, where the Harlequin character takes center stage, came to England in the 18th century. The Harlequin is characterized by his chequered costume. His role is that of a light-hearted, nimble and astute servant, often acting to thwart the plans of his master, and pursuing his own love interest, Colombina, with wit and resourcefulness, often competing with the sterner and melancholic Pierrot. He later develops into a prototype of the romantic hero. Harlequin inherits his physical agility and his trickster qualities, as well as his name, from a mischievous "devil" character in medieval passion plays. In Victorian England, the Harlequin was routinely paired with the clown figure. The clown with his brutishness acted as a foil for the more sophisticated Harlequin.

Definition of harlequin in the English dictionary

The first definition of harlequin in the dictionary is a stock comic character originating in the commedia dell'arte; the foppish lover of Columbine in the English harlequinade. He is usually represented in diamond-patterned multicoloured tights, wearing a black mask. Other definition of harlequin is a clown or buffoon. Harlequin is also varied in colour or decoration.

SYNONYMS OF «HARLEQUIN»

The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «harlequin» and belong to the same grammatical category.

synonyms of harlequin

chequered · colourful · jazzy · kaleidoscopic · many-coloured · multicoloured · polychromatic · psychedelic · rainbow · varicoloured · variegated

TRANSLATION OF HARLEQUIN

Find out the translation of harlequin to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.

The translations of harlequin from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «harlequin» in English.

• Translator English - Chinese: 丑角
• Translator English - Spanish: arlequín
• English: harlequin
• Translator English - Hindi: मसखरा
• Translator English - Arabic: المهرج
• Translator English - Russian: арлекин
• Translator English - Portuguese: arlequim
• Translator English - Bengali: ভাঁড়
• Translator English - French: arlequin
• Translator English - Malay: Harlequin
• Translator English - German: Harlekin
• Translator English - Japanese: ハーレクイン
• Translator English - Korean: 할리 퀸
• Translator English - Javanese: Harlequin
• Translator English - Vietnamese: hề
• Translator English - Tamil: ஹார்லேகுயின்
• Translator English - Marathi: कर्कश
• Translator English - Turkish: alacalı
• Translator English - Italian: arlecchino
• Translator English - Polish: arlekin
• Translator English - Ukrainian: арлекін
• Translator English - Romanian: arlechin
• Translator English - Greek: αρλεκίνος
• Translator English - Afrikaans: harlekyn
• Translator English - Swedish: harlekin
• Translator English - Norwegian: harlekin

QUOTES WITH «HARLEQUIN»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word harlequin.

1

Amy Bloom

I was the kind of reader in smudged pink harlequin glasses sitting on the cool, dusty floor of the Arrandale public library, standing at the edge of the playground, having broken a tooth in dodge ball, and lying under my covers with a flashlight.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «HARLEQUIN»

Discover the use of harlequin in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to harlequin and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.

Harlequin Britain: Pantomime and Entertainment, 1690–1760

Its extraordinary popularity underscores the continuing centrality of live performance in a culture that is most typically seen as having shifted its attention to the written text, in particular to the novel.

John O'Brien, 2004

Love's $weet Return: The Harlequin Story

Love’s $weet Return examines the phenomenon of romance fiction, focusing specifically on one of the most successful book publishers in the world, the Canadian-based Harlequin Enterprises.

Margaret Ann Jensen, 1984

The Harlequin Years: Music in Paris, 1917-1929

Through the whole book runs the double thread spun by Jean Cocteau in his little volume Le coq et l'harlequin: the warp of the traditional French cock being pulled by the weft of the foreign, multicolored harlequinade.

Roger Nichols, 2002

Harlequin (The Grail Quest, Book 1)

Harlequins are lost souls, so loved by the devil that he would not take them to hell, but left them to roam the earth.

Bernard Cornwell, 2009

Harlequin

Rebel Jaq Draco, a former loyal inquisitor, must join forces with a deadly assassin-courtesan and an insane navigator to battle against clever aliens, secret agents, and Harlequin player-warriors to save the galaxy from a psychic doomsday ...

Ian Watson, 2002

The Harlequin

Into Anita Blake's world-a world already overflowing with power-come creatures so feared that centuries-old vampires refuse to mention their names.

Laurell K. Hamilton, 2007

The World of Harlequin: A Critical Study of the Commedia ...

In this classic study of the Commedia dell 'Arte, printed in several editions and languages since its first publication in 1963, one of Allardyce Nicoll's chief concerns is to show how and why the figure of Harlequin came to predominate ...

Allardyce Nicoll, 1976

Harlequin Romance Bundle: Brides and Babies

Harlequin Romance Bundle: Brides and Babies includes: The Valentine Bride by Liz Fielding, One Summer In Italy by Lucy Gordon and The Boss's Pregnancy Proposal by Raye Morgan.

Liz Fielding, Lucy Gordon, Raye Morgan, 2007

One-Click Buy: September 2009 Harlequin Presents

Marion Lennox, Miranda Lee, Melanie Milburne, Carole Mortimer, Jennie Lucas, Abby Green. It was such a fast, instinctive action that it was done before she could react. Before she could think about stepping back. But she didn't step back.

Marion Lennox, Miranda Lee, Melanie Milburne, 2009

Pregnant by the Millionaire: Harlequin Comics

Hebe secretly admires, Nick, her boss at the art gallery where she works in London.

Carole Mortimer, 2012

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «HARLEQUIN»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term harlequin is used in the context of the following news items.

'Joseph Cornell: Wanderlust', Royal Academy of Arts, London …

While putting together “Thimble Theater”, he built a harlequin-wallpapered box with a cut-out Pierrot dangling like a puppet, “A Dressing Room ... «Financial Times, Jul 15»

Publishing Notes: News Corp, NYT - Forbes

The acquisition of Harlequin is also aiding the top line as well as the bottom line of the company. Additionally, the company is seeing high ... «Forbes, Jul 15»

Purple patch for specialist potato grower - ABC Rural (Australian …

"So we've bought in new varieties of Purple Bliss, Harlequin, which we think is probably the world's greatest roast potato, and Peruvian Gold, ... «ABC Online, Jul 15»

RIHS golden tickets add to draw of Puddledub Spring Show …

Reserve: Laura Henry, with Harlequin Skies. Diamond in-hand: 1 Dawn Wallace, Poppy; 2 Angela Watson, Another Hoarfrost; 3 JA Murphy, ... «The Courier, Jul 15»

Philip Marchand: Along with Scout and Atticus Finch, the …

Lowbrow: Harlequin Romance. For British literature you could start with Virginia Woolf, who waged fierce combat with the middlebrow culture of ... «National Post, Jul 15»

Colorado Hometown Weekly Around the Towns July 15 - Colorado …

... and the Beast": at 7:30 p.m. July 23, 24 and 25 and 2 p.m. July 24, 25 and 26 at Harlequin Center for the Performing Arts, 990 Public Road. «Colorado Hometown Weekly, Jul 15»

Liverpool gallery gifted Picasso 'sensual' sketch | Granada - ITV News

The erotic story fascinated Picasso early in his career and is given a typical Picasso twist with the introduction of a Harlequin. Framed Study for ... «ITV News, Jul 15»

Anarchy in Wonderland: Vivienne Westwood's anti-capitalist take on …

It is inspired by the dress of a harlequin. A harlequin, according to the novel's press release, “is characterised by his comedic, often trickster, ... «New Statesman, Jul 15»

Correction: Best-Sellers-Books-PW story - Salon.com

“Kiss Me” by Susan Mallery (Harlequin). 5. “Power Play” by Catherine Coulter (Jove). 6. “In Plain Sight” by Fern Michaels (Kensington/Zebra). 7. «Salon, Jul 15»

Maciu Vosa with his wife Kylie at the Studley Park Rehabilitation …

But Harlequin Rugby player Maciu (pronounced “Matthew”) Vosa did not come home that night, or the next. Last week, Maciu passed his 16th ... «Herald Sun, Jul 15»