adj
corny
KAW-nee
adj
1
Overly sentimental, old-fashioned, or unoriginal, especially in humor or storytelling.
"His jokes were so corny that everyone groaned instead of laughing."
"The movie's ending was sweet but a bit corny."
How to Use Corny
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishCheesy, unoriginal, or overly sentimental — usually said about jokes, lines, or films.
Common pairings
corny joke
corny line
so corny
Word Forms
cornier comparative, more corny comparative, more corny comparative, corniest superlative, most corny superlative, most corny superlative
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His jokes were so _____ that everyone groaned instead of laughing.
Etymology
From "corn" plus "-y." The "hackneyed" sense is said to come from cheap jokes once printed in mail-order seed catalogues aimed at farmers.