sitcom
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of sitcom
First recorded in 1960–65; by shortening
Explanation
Sitcom is short for “situation comedy.” It’s a funny TV show with a realistic setting, like an apartment full of wacky roommates or a restaurant where a regular cast of characters cracks jokes from week to week. Sitcoms have been around since people began rolling their eyes at laugh tracks. I Love Lucy (1950’s) was an early sitcom; it was one that featured a married couple who had zany misunderstandings. On 30 Rock (2000’s), the situation was a bunch of oddballs in their office making a TV show. On Barney Miller, (1970’s) the situation was a normal police captain surrounded by weird coworkers. The basic elements of a sitcom stay the same from week to week.
Vocabulary lists containing sitcom
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for November 27–December 3, 2021
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Comedy Lingo
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Bob Newhart (1929–2024) Tribute List
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The gesture made by Evans is very similar to the one used in the circle game, a prank which came to prominence in the US sitcom Malcolm in the Middle which became an internet meme.
From BBC • Jun. 15, 2026
So when my Google searches treat my request for info about sitcom intros of years past like splitting the atom, I get suspicious.
From Salon • Jun. 10, 2026
A bottle of shampoo, cold medicine, a bouquet, a midnight snack, or even diapers can now arrive at an apartment door in roughly the time it takes to watch a sitcom.
From Barron's • May 23, 2026
Disney rolled out the cast of “Scrubs” to announce another 10-episode order of the early 2000s sitcom for Hulu.
From Los Angeles Times • May 16, 2026
I couldn’t decide if they seemed more like one of those quirky sitcom families or a bunch of weirdos who make a good first impression but flip out behind closed doors.
From "Three Little Words: A Memoir" by Ashley Rhodes-Courter
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
