ham
UK: hæm | US: hæm
n. 1. The meat from the upper part of a pig’s leg, salted or smoked.
n. 2. (Informal) An actor who overacts; a performer with exaggerated style.
n. 3. (Amateur radio slang) An amateur radio operator.
No data yet.
The word "ham" traces back to Old English hamm, meaning "bend of the knee" or "hollow of the leg," referring to the pig’s thigh cut. By the 15th century, it specifically denoted the cured meat. The theatrical sense (late 19th century) likely derives from "hamfatter," a term for low-grade actors who used ham fat to remove stage makeup. The radio usage (early 20th century) playfully extended "ham" as slang for an enthusiastic but unskilled operator.
She served roasted ham with pineapple glaze for dinner.
The actor’s exaggerated gestures made him seem like a total ham.
My grandfather was a dedicated ham who loved communicating via shortwave radio.
The deli offers both smoked and honey-baked ham.
Stop hamming it up—just deliver your lines naturally!