Exaggerated or overly theatrical, especially in acting or performance; overdramatic.
Likely derived from 'ham' as an inferior actor (possibly from 'ham-fatter,' a cheap actor), dating to late 19th century American theater slang. It evolved to describe any exaggerated or amateurish performance.
The theater world created 'ham' to describe bad actors, and that slang was so vivid that it stuck around for over 150 years—now anyone acting over-the-top in any situation is 'hammy'!
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