Slapstick

Origin

From slap + stick, the English translation of the batacchio. The slapstick was a pair of sticks tied together that made a loud noise when struck together, and was used by the comic character Harlequin in the commedia dell'arte.

Full definition of slapstick

Noun

1. (uncountable) physical comedy, e.g. slipping on a banana peel, exaggeratedly losing balance, walking into walls etc.
2. (countable) a pair of sticks tied together at one end and used to create a slapping sound effect for (1)

Derived terms

• slapsticker
• slapstickery