corny

¹ American  

[kawr-nee] / ˈkɔr ni /

adjective

cornier, corniest

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

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corny ² 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 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 1700–10; corn ² + -y ¹

Origin of corny¹

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

Example Sentences

It feels kinda corny, if I’m being honest.

From Los Angeles Times

The show, these announcers doing corny play by play ... it’s hard to watch.

From Los Angeles Times

Sprinkles was known for, among other things, inventive and somewhat corny methods of customer delivery.

From Los Angeles Times

I could tell they were scared to have others see it because I’m sure it’s hard to write something like that and not make it corny or inauthentic.

From Los Angeles Times

Don’t be embarrassed by talk of gratitude this weekend, or think it rote or corny.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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