noun

cliche

cliché, platitude, stereotype

His speech was full of old clichés.

His speech was full of old clichés.

It's a cliché, but it's true.

It's a cliché, but it's true.

a cliché an overused phrase or idea The film's ending was a bit of a cliché.

Synonyms: platitude, stereotype, commonplace

From French 'clicher', meaning 'to stereotype', from the sound made when a printing plate was cast.

Think of the 'click' of a camera taking the same picture over and over – an overused image becomes a cliché.

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