deadpan
Meaning
showing no emotion or expression on your face, especially when you are saying something funny
in a way that shows no emotion or expression on your face, especially when saying something funny
to say or do something in a deadpan way
Structure
Usage
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.
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
dead (old english, meaning 'lifeless, devoid of animation'); pan (middle english, meaning 'a flat, shallow container', used here as slang for 'face')