corny

¹ American  

[kawr-nee] / ˈkɔr ni /

adjective

cornier, corniest

1. of or abounding in corn.

2. Informal.

   1. old-fashioned, trite, or lacking in subtlety.

      corny jokes.

   2. mawkishly sentimental.

      a corny soap opera.

   Synonyms:

   stale, banal, hackneyed

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corny ² American  

[kawr-nee] / ˈkɔr ni /

adjective

cornier, corniest

1. pertaining to or affected with corns corn of the feet.

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corny British  

/ ˈkɔːnɪ /

adjective

1. trite or banal

2. sentimental or mawkish

3. abounding in corn

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Other Word Forms

• cornily adverb
• corniness noun

Etymology

Origin of corny¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; 1930–35 corny ¹ for def. 2; Middle English; corn ¹ + -y ¹

Origin of corny²

First recorded in 1700–10; corn ² + -y ¹

Example Sentences

It’s a little silly and corny, yes, but manages to vary the tempo and can even tug at one’s heartstrings by showing the bond between siblings.

From Los Angeles Times

And as corny as that may seem, I implore you: If you have even one microscopic iota of curiosity, see this film.

From Salon

But, while she may no longer feel able to wear the T-shirt which inspired her "corny" spur-of-the-moment quote, it has since become clear that the impact was worth the sacrifice.

From BBC

“Not to get corny, but I’m the dad here and I’ve got to say just this one thing,” he adds, a growing swell of emotion in his voice.

From Los Angeles Times

Amy asks her and somehow Wilson delivers that line with a lilt that keeps it from sounding corny.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• banal
• dull
• hackneyed
• kitschy
• mawkish
• melodramatic
• old-fashioned
• sentimental
• stale