
Andrew Lott
An individual, typically a father, whom finds humor in providing jokes, no matter how much cringe and groans it causes.
A dad joke is a short joke, typically a pun, presented as a one-liner or a question and answer, but not a narrative. Generally inoffensive, dad jokes are stereotypically told with sincere humorous intent, or to intentionally provoke a negative reaction to their overly-simplistic humor.
Many dad jokes may be considered anti-jokes, deriving humor from an intentionally not funny punchline.
A common type of dad joke goes as follows: A child will say to the father, "I'm hungry," to which the father will reply, "Hi, Hungry, I'm Dad."
While the exact origin of the term dad joke is unknown, a writer for the Gettysburg Times wrote an impassioned defense of the genre in June 1987 under the headline "Don't ban the 'Dad' jokes; preserve and revere them". The term "dad jokes" received mentions in the American sitcom How I Met Your Mother in 2008 and the Australian quiz show Spicks and Specks in 2009. In September 2019, Merriam-Webster added the phrase "dad joke" to the dictionary.
Issued on
May 2, 2022
Expires on
Does not expire