Scaramouch
Noun
- A boastful but cowardly person.
Example Sentences
“He brags so much, his nickname should be ‘Scaramouch.'”
“The volunteers at the shelter named the Chihuahua ‘Scaramouch’ because he was a barker, but he was really just scared.”
“I’ll take the role of the Scaramouch for the rehearsals.”
Word Origin
Italian, mid-17th century
Why this word?
“I see a little silhouetto of a man / Scaramouch, Scaramouch, will you do the Fandango!” These lyrics are found somewhere in the middle of the six-minute “Bohemian Rhapsody,” Queen’s legendary rock opera that showcased the range of lead singer Freddie Mercury. The song was released on the 1975 album A Night at the Opera, and the Scaramouch reference is a nod to the Italian tradition of commedia dell’ arte, which featured stock characters playing out specific roles. Alongside the cowardly Scaramouch were the swashbuckling Capitano and the witty Harlequin.
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