jester
UK[ˈdʒestə]US[ˈdʒestər]
n
a man in the past whose job was to tell jokes and make people laugh, especially for a king or queen
n
a person who habitually jokes and plays the fool
Morpheme Breakdown
jest
er
jest
joke
er
person who does
Etymology
the word 'jester' has a lineage that traces back to the concept of storytelling and deeds. its core, 'jest', evolved from the middle english 'geste', which referred to a tale of heroic exploits. this, in turn, came from the latin 'gesta', meaning 'things done' or 'deeds'. the suffix '-er', a common agent-forming element in english, was added to denote 'one who tells tales or jokes'. over time, as the role became formalized in medieval courts, the meaning specialized from a general storyteller to a professional fool or entertainer employed to amuse a monarch with witty remarks, jests, and antics.
Analysis
Structure: jest (joke) + er (person who does)
jest (from middle english 'geste', meaning a story or exploit, ultimately from latin 'gesta', deeds) + er (from old english '-ere', an agent noun suffix indicating a person who performs an action)
Examples
the king's jester was the only one who could criticize him without fear of punishment.
he played the jester at the party, keeping everyone entertained with his impressions.
in shakespeare's plays, the fool or jester often speaks the wisest truths.