slapstick
noun
Did you know?
The idea that knocking people about made for good comedy dates as far back as the Greco-Roman theater, where clowns rambunctiously "attacked" one another onstage. The object from which the word slapstick derives, however, was invented in Italy in the 16th century. Renaissance comedy typically featured stock characters placed in ridiculous situations, and one such ubiquitous character was Harlequin, whose brilliant costuming made him easily recognizable. Harlequin was given to wielding a paddle which was designed to make a terrible noise when he hit someone, usually to the delight of the audience. This paddle was eventually known in English as a "slapstick," and it became a symbol of that type of highly physical comedy. The word slapstick then came to refer to the comedy itself.
Examples of slapstick in a Sentence
Brendan Le, People.com, 17 Jan. 2025
Strap-on dildos are often tools of slapstick humor on TV or around the internet — as Broad City or And Just Like That viewers can vouch — and often the joke relies on the difficulty or cumbersome nature of using one.
—Sofia Barrett-Ibarria, Them, 8 Jan. 2025
The film is famed for its slapstick humor with the penguin disguising itself at one point as a chicken by donning a red rubber glove on his head.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes, 5 Jan. 2025
In each episode, Shaun tries to liven up mundane farm life with low-stakes schemes that eventually spiral into farcical, slapstick situations.
—Vikram Murthi, Vulture, 3 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for slapstick 
Articles Related to slapstick
Dictionary Entries Near slapstick
Cite this Entry
“Slapstick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slapstick. Accessed 24 Jan. 2025.
Copy Citation
Share