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Added 10 October 2026

tongue-in-cheek

adjective

adjective Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). More about tongue-in-cheek at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Not intended seriously; jocular or humorous.
He gave a tongue-in-cheek explanation of why the sky was blue, offering a theory about some primordial discount on light blue paint.

adverb

With contempt.
With irony.
He portrayed them tongue-in-cheek as great lawgivers, as Solons.

Origin

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.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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