deadpan
UK[ˈdedpæn]US[ˈdedpæn]
adj
showing no emotion or expression on your face, especially when you are saying something funny
adv
in a way that shows no emotion or expression on your face, especially when saying something funny
v
to say or do something in a deadpan way
Morpheme Breakdown
dead
pan
dead
lifeless, devoid of animation
pan
Etymology
the term 'deadpan' is a 20th-century american compound, first recorded in the 1920s. it combines 'dead', from old english 'dēad', meaning completely lacking life or animation, with 'pan', a slang term for the face dating back to at least the early 19th century. the literal image is of a face ('pan') that is expressionless or 'dead'. this vivid metaphor perfectly captures the comedic technique of delivering humor with a deliberately blank, emotionless facial expression, creating a contrast between the delivery and the content.
Analysis
Structure: dead + pan
dead (old english, meaning 'lifeless, devoid of animation'); pan (middle english, meaning 'a flat, shallow container', used here as slang for 'face')
Examples
he delivered the outrageous joke with a perfectly deadpan expression.
she deadpanned her response, leaving everyone unsure if she was serious.
his deadpan humor is so subtle that you might miss the joke entirely.