For National Word Nerd Day we'll geek out about some modern words derived from commedia dell'arte!

➤"zany" is from zanni, commedia's foolish male servants, including one named Zanni
➤"scenario" is because commedia actors would pin their brief outline of the play on the back of the stage scenery
➤"slapstick" as a genre of physical comedy comes from the wooden smacking prop used by Arlecchino and other commedia characters
➤"harlequin" is a later evolution of the name Arlecchino
➤"pants" is the short of "pantaloons" which were named after the harlequinade character Pantaloon a descendent of commedia's Pantalone...

... Meaning without commedia dell'arte... we would all be PANTSLESS! 🤣

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