Pierrot vs. Clown — What's the Difference?

Pierrot is a traditional mime character often expressing sadness.

A clown can be a comedic character in a play or skit.

Pierrot often represents the archetype of the sad clown in literature and art.

A clown is a performer who uses exaggerated actions to entertain.

Pierrot is known for his white, billowy costume and plaintive love.

A clown is often associated with the circus and wears colorful makeup.

Pierrot is a figure of innocence and is often portrayed as a fool.

A clown is a person who wears a unique makeup-face and flamboyant costume, performing comedy in a state of open-mindedness (by reversing folkway-norms) all while using physical comedy.

Pierrot is a mime character who communicates through expressive movement.

A comic entertainer, especially one in a circus, wearing a traditional costume and exaggerated make-up

Pierrot ( PEER-oh, US also PEE-ə-roh, PEE-ə-ROH, French: [pjɛʁo] (listen)) is a stock character of pantomime and commedia dell'arte whose origins are in the late seventeenth-century Italian troupe of players performing in Paris and known as the Comédie-Italienne; the name is a diminutive of Pierre (Peter), via the suffix -ot. His character in contemporary popular culture—in poetry, fiction, and the visual arts, as well as works for the stage, screen, and concert hall—is that of the sad clown, often pining for love of Columbine, who usually breaks his heart and leaves him for Harlequin.

An unsophisticated country person; a rustic.

A character in French pantomime, dressed in a floppy white outfit.

Behave in a comical or playful way

Alternative form of Pierrot

A buffoon or jester who entertains by jokes, antics, and tricks in a circus, play, or other presentation.

Any of various lycaenid butterflies of the genera Tarucus and Castalia, notable for white contrasting with brown or black on the underwings.

One who jokes and plays tricks.

(historical) An 18th-century women's low-cut basque with sleeves.

A coarse, rude, vulgar person; a boor.

A male character in French pantomime; usually dressed in white with a whitened face

A peasant; a rustic.

To behave like a buffoon or jester.

To perform as a buffoon or jester.

To krump, especially in clown makeup.

A slapstick performance artist often associated with a circus and usually characterized by bright, oversized clothing, a red nose, face paint, and a brightly colored wig.

A person who acts in a silly fashion.

A stupid or badly-behaved person.

(obsolete) A man of coarse nature and manners; an awkward fellow; an illbred person; a boor.

(obsolete) One who works upon the soil; a rustic; a churl; a yokel.

A clownfish.

To act in a silly or playful fashion.

To ridicule.

A man of coarse nature and manners; an awkward fellow; an ill-bred person; a boor.

One who works upon the soil; a rustic; a churl.

The fool or buffoon in a play, circus, etc.

To act as a clown; - with it.

A rude or vulgar fool

A person who amuses others by ridiculous behavior

Act as or like a clown

A clown often performs stunts or tricks to amuse an audience.

A clown is also a term used to describe a foolish or playful person.

Pierrot is most associated with silent mime and pantomime.

It refers to a character in French pantomime, a sad and lovelorn clown.

Pierrot originated in the 17th century in the Commedia dell'arte tradition.

No, clowns can be part of various entertainment forms, including theater, television, and parties.

Pierrot is a specific character within mime, known for his sad demeanor, while mime is the broader art form of silent performance.

Traditionally, Pierrot is depicted as melancholic or pining, often in unrequited love.

It includes white, loose-fitting clothes with a white face painted to express sadness.

Yes, variations of the sad clown and comic clown are found worldwide.

A clown's role is to entertain by being funny, often through physical comedy and exaggerated behavior.

Yes, it can colloquially refer to someone who behaves in a silly or foolish manner.

A clown wears bright, exaggerated makeup, often with a red nose and colorful wig.

Yes, both have seen changes in their portrayal and cultural significance throughout history.

While intended to be funny, clowns can sometimes evoke different emotions depending on the audience's perception.

While less common, a Pierrot-inspired character can be part of a modern circus.

Yes, both can perform non-verbally, though it is more characteristic of Pierrot to do so.