Pronunciation: [hˈə͡ʊki] (IPA) 
The word "hokey" is spelled with a silent "e," which is not pronounced but is used to indicate the long "o" sound. In IPA phonetic transcription, the word is spelled /ˈhoʊki/. The "h" represents the aspiration of the "h" sound in English, and the two dots above the "o" indicate that it is a long vowel. The "k" sound is pronounced as a hard "k" and the "y" represents the "ee" sound at the end of the word.
Hokey is an adjective used to describe something that is overdone, contrived, or deliberately designed to invoke a sense of sentimentality or artificiality. It refers to a style or presentation that appears as exaggerated or insincere, often characterized by an excessive amount of forced enthusiasm or sentimental gestures. The term is commonly used to express a sense of criticism or disbelief towards something that is supposed to be genuine but instead feels tacky, fake, or lacking in authenticity.
When applied to artistic works, such as movies, music, or performances, hokey refers to a style that employs obvious or clichéd techniques, often appealing to sentimental or nostalgic emotions in an intentionally over-the-top manner. It suggests a lack of sophistication or subtlety in the execution, leading to an inauthentic or forced emotional response. Additionally, hokey can be used to describe behavior or actions that are cheesy, corny, or overly sentimental.
The origins of the word hokey are uncertain, with some speculations pointing to its relation to the term "hocus-pocus" or "hoax." The term gained popularity in the United States in the mid-20th century and has been widely adopted to describe anything that appears overly sentimental or lacking in genuine emotion. By describing something as hokey, individuals express their skepticism or disappointment in its lack of authenticity and emotional depth.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "hokey" is believed to have originated from the American English slang of the late 19th century or early 20th century. Originally, it was used in the sense of "deceptively or falsely sentimental". The exact etymology of the word is uncertain, as there are several theories regarding its origins:
1. Hokum Theory: One theory suggests that "hokey" is derived from the term "hokum", which was used in the late 1800s to describe something that is nonsensical, pretentious, or contrived. "Hokey" may have been derived as a rhyming alteration or a variant of "hokum".
2. Hooky Theory: Another theory proposes that "hokey" is related to the word "hooky", which means to play truant or skip school/work.
