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Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
cliche

1825, "electrotype, stereotype," from French cliché, a technical word in printer's jargon for "stereotype block," noun use of past participle of clicher "to click" (18c.), supposedly echoic of the sound of a mold striking molten metal. Figurative extension to "trite phrase, worn-out expression" is first attested 1888, following the course of stereotype. Related: Cliched (1928).

Wiktionary
cliche

n. (alternative form of cliché English)

cliché

n. 1 Something, most often a phrase or expression, that is overused or used outside its original context, so that its original impact and meaning are lost. A trite saying; a platitude. (from 19th c.) 2 (context printing English) A stereotype (printing plate).

WordNet
cliche

n. a trite or obvious remark [syn: platitude, banality, commonplace, bromide]

Wikipedia
Cliche
  1. Redirect Cliché
Cliché

A cliché or cliche ( or ) is an expression, idea, or element of an artistic work which has become overused to the point of losing its original meaning or effect, even to the point of being trite or irritating, especially when at some earlier time it was considered meaningful or novel.

In phraseology, the term has taken on a more technical meaning, referring to an expression imposed by conventionalized linguistic usage. The term is frequently used in modern culture for an action or idea that is expected or predictable, based on a prior event. Typically pejorative, "clichés" may or may not be true. Some are stereotypes, but some are simply truisms and facts. Clichés often are employed for comic effect, typically in fiction.

Most phrases now considered clichéd originally were regarded as striking, but have lost their force through overuse. The French poet Gérard de Nerval once said, "The first man who compared woman to a rose was a poet, the second, an imbecile."

A cliché is often a vivid depiction of an abstraction that relies upon analogy or exaggeration for effect, often drawn from everyday experience. Used sparingly, it may succeed, but the use of a cliché in writing, speech, or argument is generally considered a mark of inexperience or a lack of originality.

Cliché (disambiguation)

Cliché is an adjective denoting overuse.

Cliché may also refer to:

Cliché (Hush Hush) (album)
For the 2013 song by Alexandra Stan, see Cliché (Hush Hush) (song)

Cliché (Hush Hush) is the first reissue by Romanian singer-songwriter Alexandra Stan. It was released only to Japanese digital outlets on October 2, 2013, containing her worldwide-releases Lemonade, Cliche (Hush Hush) and All My People (vs. Manilla Maniacs). It serves to be the re-issue of her debut album Saxobeats (2011). An album's deluxe edition was just released as a compact disc and as digital download on October 23, 2013 in Japan, containing, among the original album's tracks, all the Saxobeats tracks and special remixes of them.

Cliché (Hush Hush) (song)

"Cliché (Hush Hush)" is a song recorded by Romanian recording artist Alexandra Stan for her Japan-only reissue of the same name (2013). Written and produced by Marcel Prodan and Andrei Nemirschi, it was released for digital download on 3 October 2012 through MediaPro. Described as a dance-pop track that features eurodance elements into its sound, "Cliché (Hush Hush)" discusses different themes of love. An accompanying music video for the single was posted onto YouTube on 27 September 2012, being filmed by Iulian Moga at Palatul Snagov. It was generally praised by music critics, with Los 40 Principales citing it under their list of Stan's best clips. Particularly, a scene of the video was compared to vampire movies for teenagers, while another one to 1970s film works. The track peaked at number 11 in Japan and within the top 50 in her native country and Italy; it was promoted by several live performances, including a tour throughout the United States and an appearance at French music event Starlooor 2012.

Usage examples of "cliche".

Dick promptly started considering which of the CosCop regulation cliches to use.

It gleefully mixes political cliches, bitchy reproaches and insults, and moments of absurd overdramatization.

And he never could stand the vapid cliches and disdain for abstraction.

You would think the most destructive terrorist attack in the history of the world would call for something new, but liberals have simply dusted off the old cliches from the Cold War and trotted them out for the war on terrorism.

Jesus I hate saying something like this, this things-were-different-when-I-was-a-lad-type cliche shit, the sort of cliche fathers back then spouted, assuming he said anything at all.

It starts to turn out that the vapider the AA cliche, the sharper the canines of the real truth it covers.

Everybody, but everybody Comes In dead-eyed and puke-white and with their face hanging down around their knees and with a well-thumbed firearm-and-ordnance mail-order catalogue kept safe and available at home, map-wise, for when this last desperate resort of hugs and cliches turns out to be just happy horseshit, for you.

All these terms that became cliches denial, schizogenic, pathogenic family like systems and so on and so forth.

A former acquaintance said The Mad Stork always used to say cliches earned their status as cliches because they were so obviously true.

Not because of the cliche - about returning to the scene of the crime - but because Blackwater Landing had always been his stalking ground and whatever kind of trouble he'd gotten himself into over the years he always came back here.

The cliche Latin temperament leaped into Marissa's mind as she looked at the group that had apparently arrived unannounced.

I'm not saying something cliche like you take us for granted so much as I'm saying you cannot.

That the cliche 'I don't know who I am' unfortunately turns out to be more than a cliche.

I came here to learn to live by cliches,' is what Day says to Charlotte Treat right after Randy Lenz asked what time it was, again, at 0825.

I'm still afflicted with just enough self-will to decline to live by utter non sequiturs, as opposed to just good old cliches, I'm taking the liberty of light amendment.