commedia dell'arte Hear it!

commedia dell'arte Definition

com·media dell'arte (kə mā′dē ə del är′te)

noun

a type of Italian comedy developed in the 16th through 18th cent. and employing a stereotyped plot, improvised dialogue, and stock characters such as Pantaloon, Harlequin, and Columbine

Etymology: It, lit., comedy of art