Answer: What is the difference between jester and gesture

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There's a big difference in meaning between gesture and jester. Let's try to understand what it is with a little help from our friends in The Sentinel.

The word gesture comes from Middle English, from Medieval Latin gestura, meaning 'bearing'. It can be a verb or a noun, and denotes an action. For example,

A gesture is a movement of one's arms or body, usually to emphasize something.

Blair gestured wildly as he tried to describe the way the robber had been behaving.

A related word is gesticulate, in which someone gestures in an animated or excited manner, sometimes instead of speaking.

It can also be something done to show how one feels.

Jim and Blair sent flowers to Megan after she was shot as a 'get well soon' gesture.

Blair thought that Simon's offer of a detective's badge was a nice gesture. If it did nothing else, it showed that Simon appreciated all he had done in the previous four years.

Jester, on the other hand, is always a noun. A jester is a person; the word mostly refers to a professional clown, also known as a fool, who, during the Middle Ages, was employed to entertain in the house of a king or nobleman. The jester was usually allowed a great deal of licence in what he said or did, though it was possible for him to go beyond what his employer would accept.

"Very funny," Simon growled. "Who told you you were a jester?"
Henri ducked his head apologetically, realizing that he had taken his joking too far.

Jesters went out of fashion in the UK in the seventeenth century. Today's nearest equivalent is the circus clown or the stand-up comic (comedian).

Remember, a jester is a joker, who can make gestures to amuse people .

Sources
The Free Dictionary gesture
The Free Dictionary jester
Wikipedia jester
The Free Dictionary clown