View synonyms for cliché

cliché

or cli·che

[ klee-shey, kli- ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a trite, stereotyped expression; a sentence or phrase, usually expressing a popular or common thought or idea, that has lost originality, ingenuity, and impact by long overuse, as sadder but wiser, or strong as an ox.
Synonyms: commonplace, stereotype, bromide, platitude
(in art, literature, drama, etc.) a trite or hackneyed plot, character development, use of color, musical expression, etc.
anything that has become trite or commonplace through overuse.
British Printing.
1. a stereotype or electrotype plate.
2. a reproduction made in a like manner.

adjective

trite; hackneyed; stereotyped; clichéd.

cliché

/ ˈkliːʃeɪ /

noun

a word or expression that has lost much of its force through overexposure, as for example the phrase
it's got to get worse before it gets better
an idea, action, or habit that has become trite from overuse
printing a stereotype or electrotype plate

cliché

A much used expression that has lost its freshness and descriptive power. Some clichés are “I thank you from the bottom of my heart” and “It's only a drop in the bucket.”

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Derived Forms

ˈclichéd, adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of cliché¹

First recorded in 1825–35; from French: “stereotype plate, stencil,” noun use of past participle of clicher “to make a stereotype plate,” said to be imitative of the sound of the metal pressed against the matrix

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Word History and Origins

Origin of cliché¹

C19: from French, from clicher to stereotype; imitative of the sound made by the matrix when it is dropped into molten metal

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