Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

tongue-in-cheek

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.82 in modern English

Syllables: tongue-in-cheek
IPA

23

Scrabble Score

13

Letters

3

Syllables

10

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Not intended seriously; jocular or humorous.

adv

Obsolete

adv

With irony.

Example Sentences

"He gave a tongue-in-cheek explanation of why the sky was blue, offering a theory about some primordial discount on light blue paint."
"It was in this era, too, that author and Scotland the Brave songwriter Cliff Hanley penned The Glasgow Underground, a tongue-in-cheek love letter to the Subway in song."
"The tongue-in-cheek sendup wasn’t far from Silicon Valley’s reality."
"He portrayed them tongue-in-cheek as great lawgivers, as Solons."

Etymology

This phrase alludes to the facial expression created by putting one's tongue in one's cheek. The term first appeared in print in 1828, but it isn't entirely clear that it was used with the modern, rather than a literal, sense. A later citation from Richard Barham is unambiguous.

Usage

Obsolete

Inflected Forms

more tongue-in-cheek (comparative) most tongue-in-cheek (superlative) tongue in cheek (alternative)

Phrases

tongue-in-chic

Synonyms

witty amusing bright diverting droll entertaining humorous jocose jocular piquant quick quick on the draw

Questions

What does tongue-in-cheek mean?: Not intended seriously; jocular or humorous.
Where does tongue-in-cheek come from?: This phrase alludes to the facial expression created by putting one's tongue in one's cheek. The term first appeared in print in 1828, but it isn't entirely clear that it was used with the modern, rather than a literal, sense. A later citation from Richard Barham is unambiguous.

How to pronounce tongue-in-cheek

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