noun
chestnut
A joke, story, or idea made stale by repetition.
The speaker repeats the same old chestnut about everything being better in the past.
Etymology
The stale-story sense is traditionally linked to a stage anecdote in which a repeatedly told story mentions a chestnut tree. The word became a label for a familiar joke or story heard too often.
More examples
- That joke is a tired chestnut.
- The columnist revives a familiar chestnut about city life.
- Her fresh story was a welcome change from his usual chestnuts.
Forms
chestnut · chestnuts
Similar words
- cliché
- Cliché often means a worn-out phrase or idea; chestnut frequently refers to an overfamiliar joke or story.