What is a 'Joe Miller'?
A 'Joe Miller' is a stale joke — named after a published compilation of jokes issued under that nom de plume. Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), human-proofread transcription on English Wikisource records: “Joe or a Joe Miller. A stale joke; so called from the compilation of jokes under that nom de plume . ( See Miller .)”
Origin
- Verbatim from Brewer's (1898): Joe or a Joe Miller. A stale joke; so called from the compilation of jokes under that nom de plume . ( See Miller .)
How to use it
- Modern usage: A 'Joe Miller' is a stale joke — named after a published compilation of jokes issued under that nom de plume.
- When quoting the origin, cite Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898) — this is a 19th-century record, not a modern etymology.
Source:
Last verified: 2026-07-18
- Definitions and origins are drawn from public-domain reference works, primarily Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), with modern usage notes clearly marked.