hammy
hammy Lexical Profile
hammy Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Characterized by exaggerated, melodramatic, or over-the-top acting or behavior.
"Critics panned the film for its predictable plot and the villain's overly hammy performance."
Resembling or having the salty, smoky flavor or texture of cured ham.
"The split pea soup had a rich, hammy broth that warmed everyone up after the hike."
• noun
An informal term for a hamstring muscle or tendon at the back of a person's thigh, or an injury to it.
"The sprinter pulled a hammy halfway through the race and had to be helped off the track."
• Rhymes for hammy
Word Origin & Etymology
The theatrical adjective derives from 'ham' (short for 'hamfatter', a 19th-century American minstrel song used to mock low-grade performers who used ham fat to remove stage makeup). The anatomical noun is an informal clipping of 'hamstring' with the diminutive suffix '-y'.