# Define 'cheesy'
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-cheesy/278264
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [December 5, 2004, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-cheesy/278264 "2004-12-05T21:36:27Z")
**Posts on this page:** 17
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@hammos1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hammos1)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2004, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-cheesy/278264/1 "2004-12-05T21:36:27Z")
[Dictionary.com](http://Dictionary.com) defines ‘cheesy’ as “of low quality; shoddy”, which doesn’t quite cut it for me.
It’s easy to define ‘cheesy’ by using an example- say, the music of Aerosmith, or the production design of the original _Battlestar Galactica_- but damnit, what does ‘cheesy’ actually mean?
Can anyone define ‘cheesy’ without resorting to an example of cheesiness?
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### Author:  [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2004, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-cheesy/278264/2 "2004-12-05T21:42:41Z")
of low quality; shoddy
and in extravagently bad taste
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### Author:  [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2004, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-cheesy/278264/3 "2004-12-05T21:43:51Z")
- A disappointment, something less than you would expect.
- Rhymes with sleazy for a reason.
- Cheap or fake, having little value.
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### Author:  [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2004, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-cheesy/278264/4 "2004-12-05T21:44:17Z")
“Cheesy” is something of low quality that people who ought to know better use anyway.
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### Author:  [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2004, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-cheesy/278264/5 "2004-12-05T21:59:48Z")
> [@hammos1](#):
>
> Can anyone define ‘cheesy’ without resorting to an example of cheesiness?
This macaroni and cheese is… cheesy!
Ok, now what do I win?
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### Author:  [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2004, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-cheesy/278264/6 "2004-12-05T22:03:30Z")
Kitschy
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### Author:  [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2004, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-cheesy/278264/7 "2004-12-05T23:16:20Z")
chees·y ( P ) Pronunciation Key (chz)
adj. chees·i·er, chees·i·est
**1. Containing or resembling cheese.**
2. Informal. Of poor quality; shoddy.
Also cheesy
\Chees"y, a. Having the nature, qualities, taste, form, consistency, or appearance of cheese.
What else?
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### Author:  [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2004, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-cheesy/278264/8 "2004-12-06T00:07:12Z")
IIRC the origin of “cheesy” is associated with photographs or films of people in contrived poses or roles, grinning as if they were saying “cheese” in a snapshot. Since “cheesy grins” are not desirable in Serious Artistic Works, “cheesy” came to describe hackneyed, cheap, or corny photography. Over time, the definition spread to things other than photography. But I can’t find a cite for this now.
But here is what the word detective has to say:
[http://www.word-detective.com/030299.html](http://www.word-detective.com/030299.html)
> [@](#):
>
> It does seem odd that we use “cheesy” to mean tasteless, cheap or shoddy. After all, from Velveeta to brie, cheese is one of everyone’s favorite foods… In any case, this negative sense of “cheesy” has been around since about 1863, and is thought to have arisen as an allusion to the unpleasant smell of overripe cheese.
_shrug_ google didn’t seem to help much on this one.
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### Author:  [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2004, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-cheesy/278264/9 "2004-12-06T05:24:40Z")
> [@NattoGuy](#):
>
> IIRC the origin of “cheesy” is associated with photographs or films of people in contrived poses or roles, grinning as if they were saying “cheese” in a snapshot.
False etymology.
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### Author:  [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2004, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-cheesy/278264/10 "2004-12-06T06:05:29Z")
IIRC, cheesy derives from the appearance of poorly cast, void filled, metal items. The voids make it look like swiss cheese when cut open. Lots of old pot metal toys were cheesy in that way. (Of course I can’t find a ref for that, so it may be another false etymology)
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### Author:  [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2004, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-cheesy/278264/11 "2004-12-06T06:09:09Z")
> [@Walloon](#):
>
> False etymology.
And you know this because you have the true etymology, one would presume?
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### Author:  [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2004, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-cheesy/278264/12 "2004-12-06T06:12:36Z")
I refer you to the experts at WordDetective, as quoted above.
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### Author:  [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2004, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-cheesy/278264/13 "2004-12-06T06:14:15Z")
Post, then look it up at word-detective. :smack:
> [@](#):
>
> It does seem odd that we use “cheesy” to mean tasteless, cheap or shoddy. After all, from Velveeta to brie, cheese is one of everyone’s favorite foods. I may be overstating that a bit, but I do happen to own a 20 year old cat who, frail as she is, will still make your life miserable should you forget her daily slice of cheese. In any case, this negative sense of “cheesy” has been around since about 1863, and is thought to have arisen as an allusion to the unpleasant smell of overripe cheese.
[cheesy](http://www.word-detective.com/030299.html#cheesy)
( Thru [alt-usage-english.org](http://alt-usage-english.org/cgi-bin/perlfect/search/search.pl?s=ch) )
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### Author:  [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2004, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-cheesy/278264/14 "2004-12-06T06:16:03Z")
> [@Walloon](#):
>
> I refer you to the experts at WordDetective, as quoted above.
I think I’ll stop while I’m behind.
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### Author:  [@Ilsa\_Lund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ilsa_Lund)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2004, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-cheesy/278264/15 "2004-12-06T06:16:25Z")
> [@NattoGuy](#):
>
> And you know this because you have the true etymology, one would presume?
Not to mention, it’s a folk etymology, which are wrong almost without exception.
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### Author:  [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2004, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-cheesy/278264/16 "2004-12-06T06:48:01Z")
> [@Walloon](#):
>
> I refer you to the experts at WordDetective, as quoted above.
The WordDetective quotation (posted by me, BTW) seems no more authoritative than anything else posted here. They provide a year of “1863” but no cite, and say “is thought to mean…” without saying who thinks it or why.
Thus it seems they may be indulging in a bit of folk etymology themselves, which is why I didn’t state that it was authoritative. Neither should you.
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### Author:  [@Mesquite-oh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mesquite-oh)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2004, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-cheesy/278264/17 "2004-12-06T10:00:40Z")
The way that I most frequently use the word cheesy is somewhat close to the meaning of the word “corny.” Something that is cheesy is something that someone thinks is smart and clever, but is actually dumb, off the mark, or out of step with what many people would consider smart and clever.
For example, my girlfriend suggested we take a picture with us and the dog wearing matching shirts and send them out for Christmas. I declined, citing the high cheese factor. But you know what they say “Cheese is in the eye of the beholder.”