balatron

English

Etymology

From Latin balatrō (“jester, buffoon”).

Noun

balatron (plural balatrons)

1. A buffoon; one who speaks a lot of nonsense and is characterized by self-indulgence.
   • 1927, The Dalhousie Review - Volume 7, page 65:

     If we are "students of the Balatronic dialect" — a dialect so called from the "Balatrons" or professional buffons who invented most of it — we shall perhaps refer to its users as: — "Blunderkins, having their heads stuffed with nought but balderdash.

   • 1981, Alexander Theroux, Darconville's cat, page 32:

     His fat body shook like a balatron, as if his soul, biting for anger at a mouth inadequately circumferential, desired in vain to fret a passage through it.

   • 1990, Christopher Maslanka, The Guardian Book of Puzzles, →ISBN, page 52:

     But he did not want to look a complete balatron in front of the Rabbi.

   • 2015, Peter N. Milligan, Bulls Before Breakfast, →ISBN, page 87:

     Anyone who discounts the peril is a self-important, arrogant balatron.

Anagrams

• laborant