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You are here: Home / Language / Where Did the Word “Gag” For a Joke Come From and What Does it Mean?

Where Did the Word “Gag” For a Joke Come From and What Does it Mean?

February 18, 2020 by Karen Hill

The original meaning of the word gag was to prevent someone from speaking, either by covering the mouth or through a legal restraint such as a gag order.

The jocular use of gag originated in the theater to describe times when an actor inserted an unscripted, and often humorous, line into a play.

It was called a gag because the ad lib often caused fellow actors to lose their focus and become speechless.

That’s why a vocal restraint and a joke are both called a “gag”.

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Filed Under: Language

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

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