pleasant

adj

Etymology: From Middle English plesaunte, from Old French plaisant. By surface analysis, please + -ant. Related to Dutch plezant (“full of fun or pleasure”). Partly displaced Old English wynsum, which became Modern English winsome.

1. Giving pleasure; pleasing in manner.

   “We had a pleasant walk around the town.”

   “It wasn't so hot outside, but pleasant enough to have lunch in the garden.”

2. Facetious, joking.

   “[T]ell the pleasant prince this mock of his / Hath turn’d his balls to gun-stones […]”

   “[…] I present you here with a merrie conceited Comedie, called the Shoomakers Holyday, acted by my Lorde Admiralls Players this present Christmasse, before the Queenes most excellent Maiestie. For the mirth and pleasant matter, by her Highnesse graciously accepted; being indeede no way offensiue.”

name

1. A surname.
2. A township and unincorporated community therein, in Switzerland County, Indiana, United States.
3. A number of other townships in the United States, listed under Pleasant Township.

noun

Etymology: From Middle English plesaunte, from Old French plaisant. By surface analysis, please + -ant. Related to Dutch plezant (“full of fun or pleasure”). Partly displaced Old English wynsum, which became Modern English winsome.

1. A wit; a humorist; a buffoon.

   “[…] Galba was no better than one of the buffons or pleasants that professe to make folke merry and to laugh.”

   “1696, uncredited translator, The General History of the Quakers by Gerard Croese, London: John Dunton, Book 2, p. 96, Yea, in the Courts of Kings and Princes, their Fools, and Pleasants, which they kept to relax them from grief and pensiveness, could not show themselves more dexterously ridiculous, than by representing the Quakers, or aping the motions of their mouth, voice, gesture, and countenance:”