Zany \Za"ny\, n.; pl. {Zanies}. [It. zanni a buffoon, merry-andrew, orig. same as Giovanni John, i. e., merry John, L. Ioannes, Gr. ?, Heb. Y[=o]kh[=a]n[=a]n, prop., the Lord graciously gave: cf. F. zani, fr. the Italian. Cf. {Jenneting}.] A merry-andrew; a buffoon. Then write that I may follow, and so be Thy echo, thy debtor, thy foil, thy zany. --Donne. Preacher at once, and zany of thy age. --Pope.