A-Z: CLICHE

cliché or cliche (pronounced /kliːʃeɪ/ (klee-shay) in English, but /kli.ʃe/ (klee-shé) in French), is a saying, expression, idea, or element of an artistic work which has been overused to the point of losing its original meaning or effect, "played out", rendering it a stereotype, especially when at some earlier time it was considered meaningful or novel. The term is frequently used in modern culture for an action or idea which is expected or predictable, based on a prior event. It is likely to be used pejoratively. But "clichés" are not always false or inaccurate;^[1] a cliché may or may not be true.^[2] Some are stereotypes, but some are simply truisms and facts.^[3] A cliché may sometimes be used in a work of fiction for comedic effect.

A "frame" in a nature photograph, especially an obvious possibility such as an overhanging branch, can be a cliché.^[4]

Most cliché phrases were originally striking, but they lost their force through overuse.^[5] In this connection, David Mason and John Frederick Nims cite the particularly harsh judgement of Salvador Dalí: "The first man to compare the cheeks of a young woman to a rose was obviously a poet; the first to repeat it was possibly an idiot."^[6]

A spoken or written cliché is often a vivid depiction of an abstract matter that works by means of analogy or exaggeration. The picture used is usually drawn from everyday experience so that the recipient most probably can relate to the depiction by tentatively querying their reaction to what is conveyed in the picture. When used sparingly and deliberately, a cliché can be used to great poetic effect. However, cliché in writing is generally considered a mark of inexperience or unoriginality.