different between hokey vs hokum

English

Alternative forms

• hokie, hoaky, hoky

Etymology

From the verb hoke (“to give an artificial feel to”), from hokum.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?h??ki/
• (US) IPA: /?ho?ki/

  Rhymes: -??ki

Adjective

hokey (comparative hokier, superlative hokiest)

1. (US, colloquial) phony, as if a hoax; noticeably contrived; of obviously flimsy credibility or quality

2. (US, colloquial) corny; overly or unbelievably sentimental

   Synonyms: cheesy, kitschy

Related terms

• hokiness
• hoke
• hokum

Translations

See also

• Hokey Cokey
• hokeypokey
• hokey-tokey

Further reading

• “hokey”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–present.

English

Etymology

Origin uncertain; first attested as US theater slang, possibly a blend of hocus-pocus +? bunkum.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?h??k?m/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?ho?k?m/
• Hyphenation: ho?kum

Noun

hokum (usually uncountable, plural hokums)

1. (countable, uncountable, informal) (An instance of) meaningless nonsense with an outward appearance of being impressive and legitimate.

   Synonyms: bunkum; see also Thesaurus:nonsense
2. (countable, uncountable, informal) (An instance of) excessively contrived, hackneyed, or sentimental material in a film, television programme, theater production, etc.
3. (countable, informal) A film, television programme, theater production, etc., containing excessively contrived, hackneyed, or sentimental material.
4. (uncountable, music) A genre of blues song or music, often characterized by sexual innuendos or satire.

Alternative forms

• hocum

Derived terms

• hoke
• hokey

Translations

Further reading

• hokum (music) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

References

Anagrams

• Kuhmo, khoum