motley fool (plural motley fools)

1. Court jester; jester.
   • c. 1598–1600, William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act II, scene vii]:

     A fool, a fool! I met a fool i’ th’ forest, / A motley fool. A miserable world!