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Hammy: meaning, definitions and examples

๐ŸŽญ
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hammy

 

[ หˆhรฆmi ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

acting style

Hammy refers to a style of acting that is exaggerated, melodramatic, and often overly theatrical. This term is often used to describe performances that lack subtlety and come across as unrealistic or overly showy.

Synonyms

exaggerated, melodramatic, overacted, theatrical

Examples of usage

  • His hammy performance in the play drew laughter from the audience.
  • The movie was criticized for its hammy dialogue.
  • She always plays her characters in a hammy way, stealing the spotlight.
  • Despite the hammy acting, the film became a cult classic.

Translations

Translations of the word "hammy" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น hammy

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคนเฅˆเคฎเฅ€

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช hammy

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ hammy

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ั…ะฐะผะผั–

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ hammy

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ใƒใƒŸใƒผ

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท hammy

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ hammy

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท hammy

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ํ–„๋ฏธ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ู‡ุงู…ูŠ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ hammy

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ hammy

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ๅ“ˆ็ฑณ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ hammy

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ hammy

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ั…ะฐะผะผะธ

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒฐแƒแƒ›แƒ˜

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ hammy

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ hammy

Etymology

The term 'hammy' is derived from the word 'ham', which originally referred to an actor who overacts or plays a role in an exaggerated manner. The usage of 'ham' as a pejorative for a poor actor dates back to the late 19th century and was likely popularized by performers in vaudeville and other live theatrical performances, where some actors would resort to grand gestures and over-the-top line delivery to capture the audience's attention. Over time, 'ham' evolved to describe anyone whose style of performance is considered excessively dramatic or lacking in subtlety. The term has since become a standard part of theatrical and cinematic vocabulary.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #41,025, this word is among the less frequently used terms in English. While interesting to know, it's not crucial for most English learners unless needed for specific purposes.