Showing no emotion or expression on the face; deliberately appearing serious or unmoved while delivering something funny.
From 'dead' (absolute, complete) and 'pan' (slang for 'face,' origin uncertain but used in vaudeville by the 1920s). The phrase combined 'dead' (no expression whatsoever) with 'pan' to create a vivid image of a face completely expressionless.
'Deadpan' is comedy gold—comedians like Buster Keaton and Steven Wright pioneered deadpan delivery, and it works because our brains expect facial expressions to match words, so when they don't, the contrast creates humor before our conscious mind catches up.
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