harlequin
/ˈhɑɹlɪkwɪn/noun, adjective, verb
harlequin is spelled H-A-R-L-E-Q-U-I-N: 9 letters and 3 syllables. It appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 34,504th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, harlequin means “A pantomime fool, typically dressed in colorful checkered clothes, used as a stock character in commedia dell'arte and other genres” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of harlequin is harlequins.
How many letters and syllables are in harlequin?
| Letters | 9: H-A-R-L-E-Q-U-I-N |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 1 million words; the 34,504th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is harlequin?
Harlequin appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 34,504th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce harlequin?
- UK /ˈhɑːlɪkwɪn/
- US /ˈhɑɹlɪkwɪn/
Harlequin has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-harlequin.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of harlequin
- harlequins plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- harlequining participle, present
- harlequined participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does harlequin mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A pantomime fool, typically dressed in colorful checkered clothes, used as a stock character in commedia dell'arte and other genres.
- 2
A greenish-chartreuse color.
- 3
informalA harlequin duck.
- 4
Any of various riodinid butterflies of the genera Taxila and Praetaxila.
adjective
- 1
Brightly colored, especially in a pattern like that of a harlequin clown's clothes.
- 2
Of a greenish-chartreuse color.
verb
- 1
To remove or conjure away, as if by a harlequin's trick.
- 2
To make sport by playing ludicrous tricks.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Harlequin in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense pantomime fool:
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does harlequin come from?
From earlier Harlicken, from Middle French Harlequin (in Italian Arlecchino, the name of a popular servant character in commedia dell'arte plays), from Old French Harlequin, Halequin, Herlequin, Hellequin, Hierlekin, Hellekin (a demon, malevolent spirit), probably of Germanic origin, connected to the Old English figure of *Herla Cyning (“King Herla”, a mythical figure identified with Woden) or possibly to Old Frisian helle kin, Old English helle cyn, Old Norse heljar kyn (“the kindred of Hell”). Related to Middle English Hurlewain (“a mischievous sprite or goblin”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).