It refers to individuals who are:
* Clowns: People who perform comedic acts, often in a courtly setting.
* Buffoons: Someone who behaves in a silly or clumsy manner.
* Fools: A person who is lacking in intelligence or common sense.
The term can be used both literally and figuratively. For instance, it could refer to a group of jesters at a royal court, or it could be used metaphorically to describe a group of people who are acting foolishly.
Here are some examples of how "les bouffons" might be used:
* "Les bouffons de la cour royale ont diverti les invités avec leurs farces et leurs chansons." (The jesters of the royal court entertained the guests with their pranks and songs.)
* "Ils agissaient comme des bouffons, se moquant de tout et de tous." (They acted like fools, mocking everything and everyone.)
* "Le public a hué les bouffons qui ont essayé de faire rire avec des blagues ringardes." (The audience booed the jesters who tried to make them laugh with corny jokes.)