Spanish word

cliché

Pronunciation

IPA/kliˈtʃe/

Meaning

  • masculine nouncliché

Example

Esa frase es un cliché.

That phrase is a cliché.

Illustration for cliché (cliché)

More examples

No quiero caer en el cliché de siempre.

I don't want to fall into the usual cliché.

Core concept

Overused, predictable phrase.

Common phrases

  • caer en el cliché

    fall into the cliché

  • repetir un cliché

    repeat a cliché

Similar words

frase hecha: Habitual stock phrase repeated so often that its content feels banal.
muletilla: Repetitive filler or linking word used in conversation to fill pauses.
tópico: Worn, shallow idea or commonplace opinion lacking depth or insight.
lugar común: Overused remark or expression that sounds trite from repeated use.

Definition in Spanish

Expresión o frase hecha tan usada que deja de sorprender y aporta poca o ninguna originalidad.

Word origin

It comes from French cliché, originally a printing term for a plate that produced identical impressions and later applied metaphorically to formulaic expressions.

Usage tips

  • Spanish treats el cliché as a mildly critical label and speakers often add a concrete detail to avoid sounding dismissive.

Other meanings

  • stock phrasenoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word