0%

zaniness

za·ny
Z z

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [zey-nee]
    • /ˈzeɪ ni/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [zey-nee]
    • /ˈzeɪ ni/

Definitions of zaniness word

  • adjective zaniness ludicrously or whimsically comical; clownish. 1
  • noun plural zaniness one who plays the clown or fool in order to amuse others. 1
  • noun plural zaniness a comically wild or eccentric person. 1
  • noun plural zaniness a secondary stock character in old comedies who mimicked his master. 1
  • noun plural zaniness a professional buffoon; clown. 1
  • noun plural zaniness a silly person; simpleton. 1

Information block about the term

Origin of zaniness

First appearance:

before 1560
One of the 32% oldest English words
1560-70; (< Middle French) < Italian zan(n)i (later zanno) a servant character in the commedia dell’arte, perhaps orig. the character's name, the Upper Italian form of Tuscan Gianni, for Giovanni John

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Zaniness

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation

zaniness popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 79% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
According to our data about 72% of words is more used. This is a rare but used term. It occurs in the pages of specialized literature and in the speech of educated people.

Synonyms for zaniness

noun zaniness

  • wackiness — odd or irrational; crazy: They had some wacky plan for selling more books.
  • silliness — weak-minded or lacking good sense; stupid or foolish: a silly writer.
  • craziness — mentally deranged; demented; insane.
  • wildness — living in a state of nature; not tamed or domesticated: a wild animal; wild geese.
  • eccentricity — an oddity or peculiarity, as of conduct: an interesting man, known for his eccentricities.

Antonyms for zaniness

noun zaniness

  • conventionality — the quality or characteristic of being conventional, esp in behaviour, thinking, etc
  • seriousness — of, showing, or characterized by deep thought.
  • sense — any of the faculties, as sight, hearing, smell, taste, or touch, by which humans and animals perceive stimuli originating from outside or inside the body: My sense of smell tells me that dinner is ready.
  • intelligence — capacity for learning, reasoning, understanding, and similar forms of mental activity; aptitude in grasping truths, relationships, facts, meanings, etc.
  • judgment — an act or instance of judging.

See also

Matching words

Was this page helpful?
Yes No
Thank you for your feedback! Tell your friends about this page
Tell us why?