ABSTRACT
ZANY, HARLEQUIN, MERRY-ANDREW. Zany, a substantive derived from the Old Italian zane, in Modern Italian zanni, the familiar form of Giovanni or John, signifies a silly-John, a former appellation of buffoon and clown, a person who amuses others professionally by jests, antics, odd gestures, etc., especially by awkwardly and ineffectually trying to mimic the other actors.
