Punchinello \Pun`chi*nel"lo\, n. [It. pulcinella, probably
originally a word of endearment, dim. of pulcina, pulcino, a
chicken, from L. pullicenus, pullus. See {Pullet}.]
A punch; a buffoon; originally, in a puppet show, a character
represented as fat, short, and humpbacked. --Spectator.
[1913 Webster]