Jester Jester A jester, court jester, or fool, was historically an entertainer during the medieval and Renaissance eras who was a member of the household of a nobleman or a monarch employed to entertain him and his guests. A jester was also an itinerant performer who entertained common folk at fairs and markets. Jesters are also modern-day entertainers who resemble their historical counterparts. Jesters in medieval times are often thought to have worn brightly coloured clothes and eccentric hats in a motley pattern and their modern counterparts usually mimic this costume. Jesters entertained with a wide variety of skills: principal among
Jester them were song, music, and storytelling, but many also employed acrobatics, juggling, telling jokes, and magic tricks. Much of the entertainment was performed in a comic style and many jesters made contemporary jokes in word or song about people or events well known to their audiences. The modern use of the English word "jester" did not come into use until the mid-16th century, during Tudor times. This modern term derives from the older form "gestour", or "jestour", originally from Anglo-Norman (French) meaning "story-teller" or "minstrel". Other earlier terms included "fol", "disour", and "bourder". These terms described entertainers who differed in